General Information About Solar Energy
Solar Education / Workshops
State-Specific Solar Information
List of Available Incentives
Industry Newsletters
Recycling Solar Panels
Articles to Download


Rather than re-invent the wheel, most of the information on this web site will be in the form of links to other sites. Since we know that your time is precious and you don’t want to spend hours sorting through less-then-relevant information, we have included a brief synopsis of the content to be found by clicking on each link.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of sources. However, we hope it will serve as a useful starting point to explore the world of solar energy. We strongly encourage people who know of other useful web sites not featured here to let us know about them.

We will periodically update this list of links to include new ones that we feel add value, as well as removing old links which are outdated or no longer in existence.

To demonstrate our commitment to providing our audience with relevant, up-to-date information, starting this fall, we will be giving out a valleyofthesunsolar.com t-shirt to the individual that sends us the best link of the month.

Below are some of our favorite links. If you have a link that you feel should be added, we'd love to hear from you. Please go to the
contact us section of the site, or email us directly at info@valleyofthesunsolar.com. Happy surfing!


General Information About Solar
U.S. Department of Energy (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Division) A great all-around solar information website. If you're looking for an introduction and some quick stats, here's a good place to start.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/RE/solar.html

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is an excellent source of information about solar energy, as well as other renewable energy technologies. NREL is the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D.

http://www.nrel.gov/


Solar Education / Workshops
Solar Energy International
A non-profit organization based out of Carbondale, CO which offers workshops on various solar and renewable energy technologies as well as earth-friendly construction methods. SEI send staff all over the planet to train people on how to install and use renewable energy systems. SEI is also very active in promoting education about solar and renewable energy. SEI's 2-week hands-on Solar PV System Design and Installation workshop is considered by many to be one of the best anywhere.

http://www.solarenergy.org/

Solar Living Institute
Based out of Hopland, CA, this non-profit organization offers workshops designed to educate the public about sustainable living practices.

http://www.solarliving.org/


State-Specific Solar Information
Arizona Solar Center
Probably the most comprehensive solar resource for the State of Arizona.

http://www.azsolarcenter.com/

California Energy Commission - Renewable Energy Program

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/renewables/index.html

New Jersey Clean Energy Program

http://www.njcleanenergy.com


List of Available Incentives (General)
Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy
A website that contains a comprehensive listing of incentives (i.e. rebates, tax credits, financing, etc.) by state, as well as federally. This is a good place to start if you want to learn more about what incentives are available in your area.

http://www.dsireusa.org/


Industry Newsletters
A great source for industry news (technology, people, government etc.) including an annual state-of-the-industry report.

http://www.solarbuzz.com/

Formerly solaraccess.com, this web site is another great way to keep track of major events in the industry.

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com


Recycling Solar Panels
Article about an Arizona-based company (First Solar) making arrangements with an insurance company to set aside funding to recycle its panels in the future.

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPT111.htm


Articles to Download
Solar Power as an Investment
The author, a Managing Director with the Global Banking Division of Deutsche Bank Securities, analyzes his investment in a solar PV system and compares it to an alternative investment in other instruments such as a CD. The information on pricing and equipment in the article are somewhat dated, but the concepts are still valid and compelling in today’s market.

Download Article

Impact of a Solar PV System on Home Values
This article was published in a Wells Fargo newsletter which included an article on the impact of various home improvements (i.e. a new bathroom, kitchen, deck, etc) on the resale value of your home. The article shows how historical data on home resale values indicate that homeowners will recover their investment in a Solar PV system when they sell, due to the quantifiable decrease in operating costs of the home.

Download Article


Summary of Arizona Statute re: Solar Energy Covenant Restrictions
This “solar access law” A.R.S. 33-439 (A) was passed by the State Legislature in 1979 in order to protect individual homeowner’s private property rights to use solar. It dissolves any local covenant, restriction or condition attached to a property deed that restricts the use of solar energy.

Download Article


Renewable Energy Targets by State as of December 2004
A brief outline of the various renewable energy targets (also known as Renewable Portfolio Standards) for each state. This includes the percentage of electricity that is supposed to be generated from solar and other renewables, as well as the timeline for meeting these objectives.

Download Article

Marketbuzz 2005: Annual World Solar PV Market Report
These are the highlights from an annual report published by Solarbuzz on the world PV market. The complete report is sold for $3,500, but the highlights provide a useful “big picture” look at the industry and where the U.S. stands relative to other countries.

Download Article


Solar Benefits Quantified
For years, proponents of solar energy have talked about the positive “external” benefits of solar to the environment in areas such as reduced health care costs, emission reductions, lower infrastructure investments, etc. Finally, a team of economists from Americans for Solar PV has attached dollar figures to the various benefits long associated with the technology. For those who are into this sort of thing, this is cutting edge stuff!

Download Article A
Download Article B



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