Clean Energy Blog

Seaside, CA, November 27, 2007 Marina, CA-based Blueline Power is the official solar supplier for Chartwell School’s US Green Building Council LEED Platinum Certified campus in Seaside, CA. Blueline Power designed and installed a 32.6 kilowatt (DC) solar array which produces enough power for the majority of Chartwell School’s needs.

Utilizing cutting-edge technology for the project, UniSolar’s photovoltaic laminate was used to directly integrate with Chartwell’s metal roof. Aesthetic in appearance, the “roll and stick” laminate comes in sheets that are mounted directly to the roof, resulting in excellent performance, light weight, a very low profile, and decreased installation costs.

The Uni-Solar integrated photovoltaic laminates are great for schools because they withstand dirt and rocks and offer excellent performance in low light conditions. This means the system can produce more power on foggy and cloudy days, which are fairly common in Seaside.

For Blueline Power, the excellent performance, improved aesthetics and reduced costs don’t tell the whole story. The system also includes a portable live data monitoring system which can be used in the classrooms as a teaching tool. “Blueline Power is proud to be involved with this project because it exposes the kids to the benefits of utilizing clean solar energy,” remarked Ed Bless, Blueline Power’s Business Director.

The environmental benefits the solar array over the twenty-five years are equivalent to:

¨ Preventing 1.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere

¨ Planting 15 acres of trees

¨ Taking 9 cars off the road

¨ Preventing over 10,000 pounds of asthma, acid-rain and smog-causing pollutants from entering the atmosphere

For more information, please contact Blueline Power at 831.883.BLUE or info@bluelinepower.com

Going Green

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is a word you probably hear quite often these days. I’d be interested in hearing what sustainability means to our readers…and more importantly, what you’re doing to address it.

The Brundtland Commission, led by former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, stated that sustainable development “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

If local opinions carry more weight with you, The Great Law of the Iroquois (indigenous people native to North America) states, “In every deliberation we must consider the impact on the seventh generation… even if it requires having skin as thick as the bark of a pine.”

Do you consider your impact on the seventh generation?

It seems most Americans barely consider their impact on the world they will leave for their grandchildren – never mind seven generations into the future.

How many Planet Earths do you need?

Before I come off as sounding too “preachy,” I’ll share with you a little quiz I took this morning on the internet (www.earthday.net/footprint if you want to give it a try). After answering 15 simple questions, the program calculated that I would need about 3.4 Planet Earths to live within my own means, a.k.a. a sustainable lifestyle.

The scary thing is that I try to do what I can. I conserve, recycle everything possible, reuse containers, save water, and even utilize renewable sources of energy.

Even scarier is the fact that the national average for the U.S. is about 5.3 planets. In comparison, the average person in Germany consumes about half the resources of an average American. And by my math, that still isn’t good enough.

Quite simply, we are consuming more from the earth than we can possibly replenish, meaning our current path is certainly NOT sustainable. Check out http://www.happyplanetindex.org for some really interesting info that compares the US with other nations on the basis of criteria which calculate ecological footprint, life expectancy and “life satisfaction” (happiness). In case you were wondering, the U.S. is close the bottom of that list.

But we have time to get better at this whole sustainability thing, right?

WRONG!

Currently there are close to 6 Billion people on the planet, up from 1.7 Billion in 1900. The US Census Bureau estimates that by 2050, in just 43 years, there will be 9.3 Billion people on earth! Presently, we’re living about 23% beyond our means (when you calculate how much productive land is needed per person vs. how much land is available). That makes for a pretty depleted planet earth by 2050.

Take Action

All of this sustainability stuff can get pretty depressing, so here are some things you can do now to make a real difference?

• Recycle everything you can (check with your city for details)
• Buy less plastic stuff (especially from far-off places like China)
• Compost or use your “green waste” container
• Buy local, including your energy: Go Solar!
• Dispose of potentially polluting items properly (including compact fluorescent light bulbs - which contain mercury, batteries, electronic waste, and motor oil. Coastal communities and wetlands are especially sensitive.
• Get your kids to play outside more often. The more they enjoy it, the more they’ll protect it now and in the future.

I welcome your feedback and encourage you to email any questions or suggested topics to me at Peter@BluelinePower.com.

Peter Brumis is Marketing Director for Blueline Power, The Clean Energy Company, located in Marina, CA. Founded by Hollister resident Ed Bless in 2001, Blueline Power’s mission is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by designing, installing and promoting clean energy and sustainability projects which reduce energy costs and help preserve the environment for future generations.

Posted by: EcoPedro

Each month, Peter Brumis, Blueline Power’s Marketing Director, outdoor enthusiast and sustainability guru, writes an article for Out and About Magazine, which is distributed online and in print form in Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties of Northern California.

Sunny Days are here Again:

Is Solar Electric for You?
The intense summer sun is high overhead. The kids are on summer break and it’s so hot outside that they just want to sit inside a nice cool, air conditioned house and watch television. Of course, the bathroom light is left on, and the refrigerator door stays open for minutes on end while someone makes up their mind about which flavor of popsicle to eat….And no one pays attention until the electric bill arrives from PG & E. Does this sound like your house?

Summer brings the hottest temperatures and longest, most intense sun days of the year to Northern California, along with the highest energy rates. What better time than this to think about clean solar power for your home or business?

First, a little bit about the technology
Solar electric systems work by utilizing photovoltaic panels (photo = “light”; voltaic = “electric”) to turn light energy into electrical energy. The basic equipment for “grid-tied” systems (attached by power lines to the electrical grid) includes solar panels (also called PV Modules), mounting hardware and an inverter, which converts the electricity from DC (direct current) to usable AC (alternating current which runs through your outlets).

In a sunny climate, like here in the tri-county area, solar electric works very well. Many claim it’s too expensive, but the reality is that most systems pay for themselves in 7-14 years with today’s incentives. After that, your solar electric system is a non-taxable asset, not an expense. In many cases, financing a solar system can actually leave you with monthly payments that are CHEAPER than your monthly electric bill.

Does all of this sound too good to be true? Well maybe it is…
Currently, the solar industry is very much incentive-driven. For people in areas without strong incentives, that means installing solar can be cost prohibitive. However, in California the market is strong and growing. In fact, current incentives can pay for over half of the cost of a commercial system and about 30% of the cost of an average residential system.

Here’s the catch: the more solar electric systems that are installed, the faster the rebates drop. Our current incentive program in California decreases each time a new “milestone step” is reached. For example, the current state residential solar rebate is $12,500 for a 5 kilowatt PV system, but it will decrease to $11,000 when the next milestone is reached (possibly in the next few months).

What can you do to get started?

• Research! (start with the links below)
• Ask for help (most trustworthy installers offer a free initial consultation with your energy bills)
• Support Solar and Clean Energy – Vote and write to your elected officials!

Helpful WWW Links:

- Photovoltaics: http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/solar.htm
- Global solar maps: http://www.solar4power.com/solar-power-global-maps.html
- Rebate information for US: http://www.dsireusa.org/
- Solar info for the kids (even a coloring book): http://www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/solar.html
- CA Incentives: http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/incentives.html
- Solar news, etc. http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/home

Posted by: EcoPedro

Each month, Peter Brumis, Blueline Power’s Marketing Director, outdoor enthusiast and sustainability guru, writes an article which appears in Out and About Magazine, which is distributed online and in print form in the of Monterey, Santa Clara and San Benito counties of Northern California.

These days, all we hear about is “going green,” whether it’s recycling, sweat shop-free, renewable or sustainable. While some of us recycle on a daily basis, most people rarely consider how their lifestyles affect the environment. In this column, we’ll look at some of the problems related to traditional sources of energy, like oil and coal, as well some solutions, so you can learn what you can do right now to save money and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

America’s Oil Addiction
Just how dependent on foreign oil are we? Well, the US consumes about 21 million barrels per day, representing almost 25% of the world’s daily oil supply. Meanwhile, we only produce 5 million barrels per day, and production has been decreasing since 1970. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that we import about 75% of our oil, and it’s running out. Due to its oil appetite, the US is also the largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, contributing more than 20% of global emissions while representing only 5% of global population.

Should you care? YES! This affects the environment and global temperatures, which are rising at an alarming rate. It also affects our economy (by sending billions of dollars overseas) and US foreign policy (which I won’t touch with a 10-foot pole).

Why it Matters
Besides creating a stranglehold on our economy and posing a threat to national security, our oil addiction pollutes the air and water and is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is a “greenhouse gas” which contributes to global warming. There is a direct link between carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increasing global temperatures, and both are at all-time highs.

Effects of global warming include increased melting of the polar icecaps, resulting in rapidly rising sea levels (imagine the US with no Florida), more extreme weather events (like Hurricane Katrina), shifting weather patterns (more droughts & floods) and species extinctions.

What is Clean Energy?
One thing is clear: Our current path is not a sustainable one. We need to change the way we produce our electricity, power our cars, purchase products, and produce our food (buy local!). One change that will create a huge positive impact is to utilize clean energy sources to power our buildings, homes and cars.

For the purposes of this monthly column, clean energy is energy derived from natural or renewable sources which can be harnessed with little or no pollution. In upcoming columns I’ll focus primarily on solar, wind, and biofuels (including biomass) because each has developed a commercially viable market in Northern California. Other clean energy sources include geothermal, small-scale hydro, tidal and wave power. Clean energy is locally produced energy, which keeps money in our communities and creates local jobs.

Posted by: EcoPedro