It really sounds ludicrous that the average person with some basic carpentry skills and a solar power diagram can DIY! We all have good intentions and want to do our part to save the environment, reduce our “carbon footprint” and lower our utility bills. Building your own solar power systems is something you can tackle on your own with a little time and determination.

Isn’t it interesting that all of a sudden we think solar and wind power is so much in “vogue”? Our ancestors were probably a lot smarter than us in a lot of ways. They took the resources (i.e. the sun and wind) that they had available to them and made the best of them. We would be wise to think like they did in many cases. Fortunately, the message is getting out and public opinions and perceptions are changing. The average cost of solar installation by a contractor generally is between $25,000 and $30,000 depending on the size of your home and your needs. It just isn’t practical or cost effective (at least right now) even with government subsidies for most families to consider installing alternative home energy sytems.

Did you know that the average person usually realizes a cost savings of 70% to 92% of their electric bills after installing solar panels? Not a bad return on a DIY Green Energy kit for less than $200! Your savings will obviously vary on how many panels you decide to install. The location of the system on your roof has to be in an area that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight every day. If you get more than that it’s all gravy! Keep in mind that the sun isn’t going to shine every day. If you live in certain parts of the country that get lots of sunshine your investment will be much more valuable! You can even send power back into the electrical grid if you don’t use all of it!

All of the materials for your solar panels grid can generally be found at your local hardware store. You will need to have solar cells (order online), plexiglass, screws, lumber, caulking and a Jones Plug.

What are the advantages of solar power? – You shouldn’t have any maintenance costs for the panels once they are assembled.

Solar power is quiet – There is no hum from a motor or generators.

It’s Fun! – Your neighbors and family will marvel that you did this by yourself!

You can be self sustaining if a power outage occurs. Your home will increase in value as more and more consumers demand homes with solar power. I am extremely concerned about the environment (I’m not a “tree hugger” by the way). I do care about the future of our planet though and what my kids and grandchildren will be inheriting. It just stands to reason that we can’t keep pumping Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere without having adverse consequences (global warming). The debate will probably continue on that subject for quite some time.

DID YOU KNOW? You can build your own Solar Panels, saving thousands off the retail price. Almost anyone can do this, even if you have no solar experience. There is a step-by-step guide that will show you exactly how to build your own solar panel system for less than 200 dollars: Click Here -> Green DIY Energy

Back during the energy crisis days of the 1970′s the tern “solar” was on everyone’s lips. At that time it ended up being more of a fad or novelty than a viable solution for anything.

Now in 2011, technology has improved and in light of the recent events and miscues in Japan, the world may be looking for new sources of energy very soon.

I didn’t even realize it, but solar may be now stepping to the forefront. I’ve always been a proponent of the use of solar energy, and I wondered why as our technology improved we didn’t make the development and use of solar power more of a priority.

Suffice to say, we did. Just this week in Forbes, companies like First Solar and SunPower are preparing for the onslaught that may be coming.

FirstSolar is, and has been the biggest name in the solar game for some time now. Covering every aspect of solar power from engineering to consulting and manufacturing, FirstSolar uses their own proprietary technology that powers solar modules with the help of the sun through thin semi-conductors. Their stock currently sits at an all-time high and the company cannot keep up with demand, growing 13% since the Japanese earthquake occurred.

SunPower has seen its stock rise 10 percent since March 15. The maker of silicon solar cells is expecting residential and commercial orders to skyrocket. SunPower is also making strategic acquisitions that will give them the manpower and ability to fill orders if the solar industry keeps growing at its accelerated rate.

It looks like the solar energy industry as a whole will be booming. The Solar Energy Industries Association gave a presentation last week where they divulged that industry revenues went from $3.6 billion in ’09 to $6 billion in ’10, a huge 67 percent increase in one year.

What we also learned is that even though solar energy use is on the upswing in the United States, we are falling behind other countries, especially those in Europe. Countries like Spain, Germany, and Italy are all building more solar facilities that we are. They credit tax breaks and incentives for sudden push for solar plants.

Our president and Congress should take a cue from Europe and make this a priority.

Rick Limpert covers sports, technology and politics in and around Atlanta. He’s charging his solar cells right now.

Source: Yahoo

Many people would like to live off the grid with DIY energy solutions. But, can renewable energy be an economical solution? Is it feasible? Is it wise? The answer is yes to all of these questions. However, getting access to renewable energy on the commercial market is unrealistic for all but the most affluent households. This is why DIY energy solutions are becoming so popular.

It is a matter of fact that DIY solar energy is dramatically gaining favor across the world. DIY energy solutions to rising costs in electricity or ways to save the planet have driven individuals to learn more about solar energy. It doesn’t matter whether your motives are for self-interests or philanthropic, going off the grid is an increasingly practical dream with DIY Solar Energy kits. Building your own Solar Panels can be done below $200 with DIY instruction guides.

By using DIY energy solutions, the cost advantages become more and more evident. Homes with only one solar panel can save on electrical costs by 30% or more. Most people can cut their household electricity use in half at a very low cost, and with a very fast payback. However, many factors play a role in how much you can save like how many panels you set-up and where you live. Your goals often influence the degree to which you power your home through DIY energy solutions.

It is becoming more popular to reduce startup costs by utilizing DIY Solar Panel kits. Generally, the cost of setting up solar power systems is quickly recouped, and over time home solar power will pay for itself many times over. Adding to the attractiveness of DIY energy solutions is the friendly tax treatment that people who take advantage of it receive. The tax deductions and funding available may determine whether it is more cost effective to purchase ready made systems or do-it-yourself kits.

One little known advantage to producing solar energy for your home, is that during peak sunshine months, households can gain substantial savings by producing more renewable energy than needed and then sell the extra energy back to the utility company. Selling power back to your utility company can be easy. Essentially you use a DIY energy source such as solar or wind for energy during the day and it supplies energy back to a grid, causing your utility meter to run backwards. Then, when it is dark outside or windy, the meter starts to roll forward again. This helps to save hundreds or thousands of dollars each year in electrical bills.

You can go back on grid during low sunshine times of the year. This can be a cost efficient way to live. Consumers gain either way.But other than the savings that can be gained by using DIY energy solutions, there are other benefits that can be delivered by the DIY solar energy projects. For instance, solar energy for homes is also clean and renewable energy. Because a solar power system has no moving parts they are relatively maintenance free. The use of Solar Power offers a new level of energy independence.

Residential DIY energy solutions have now become a reality and with the current economic crisis set to worsen the idea of homemade solar power is not only an environmentally friendly measure but also a cost saving one. For less than $50 you can have a fully illustrated manual and video instruction that you need instantly sent to your computer allowing you to take action without delay. There is nothing like video to make instructions more understandable, especially when just starting out.

Countless DIY solar guides exist for the home enthusiast. The worthwhile ones will make it easier to complete your DIY solar energy project. You can’t go wrong with the small upfront investment of a quality guide. The right guide will save you a lot of time and money throughout the project.

DID YOU KNOW? You can build your own Solar Panels, saving thousands off the retail price. Almost anyone can do this, even if you have no solar experience. There is a step-by-step guide that will show you exactly how to build your own solar panel system for less than 200 dollars: Click Here -> Green DIY Energy

As rates for electricity rise world wide many have started to look for a way to cut their power bills. Some have found DIY Solar. Do it yourself solar is an easy way for just about anyone to create their own solar panels, which can in turn produce electricity that can power a home, a car, or even things like a pool heater. If you are new to this though, you may be wondering how it works.

Each day the sun burns in our sky sending light to us, giving life to pretty much everything that exists. However, beyond what your eye can see, sunlight is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons contain energy and when they collide with semi conductive material, such as silicon most solar panels are, they cause the material to release electrons. When you capture these electrons and send them through a wire you have electricity.

When a solar panel is placed on your roof, or anywhere else, it will gather energy all day. The amount they gather will greatly depend on where they are placed, weather conditions, or several other factors. When the electricity is gathered it must go somewhere or it will be wasted. In order to preserve this electricity you must send it to a battery where it can be stored for later use. One other way you can deal with extra electricity is to sell it back to your local utility. The laws depend on your local are so make sure you ask questions. If you can then one big bonus is that at the end of the year you can claim a credit on your federal tax return for producing renewable energy. Which means not only could you get paid by the power company, but the government gives a tax discount for doing it!

DIY Solar electricity is one of the simplest ways to upgrade your home for energy efficiency. With the initial low cost and the huge return on investment, no home owner looking to save on their power bill can pass this up.

DID YOU KNOW? You can build your own Solar Panels, saving thousands off the retail price. Almost anyone can do this, even if you have no solar experience. There is a step-by-step guide that will show you exactly how to build your own solar panel system for less than 200 dollars: Click Here -> Green DIY Energy

The U.S. solar power sector grew 67 percent in 2010 but still lagged European markets by a wide margin in installing solar systems, the industry’s trade group said today.

The American market for solar energy reached $6 billion in 2010, up from $3.6 billion the previous year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, or SEIA. But the U.S. share of worldwide photovoltaic solar installations slipped to 5 percent last year from 6.5 percent in 2009 due to booming growth in Germany and Italy, where solar players enjoy generous government incentives.

Photovoltaic, or PV, solar systems transform sunlight into electricity.

Solar electric installations reached 956 megawatts in the United States last year, including 878 MW of PV systems. More than 17 gigawatts of PV were installed globally.

In 2011, SEIA expects U.S. PV installations to double from 2010, while the global market will experience slower growth due to subsidy cuts in Europe.

“Much of the global PV industry is turning its eye toward the U.S. with great expectations,” the report said.

This year is likely to be “light” for concentrating solar power, or solar thermal, SEIA said. In 2010, 77.5 MW of CSP were installed, and that portion of the market is expected to grow quickly in the coming years with 41 projects totaling 9 GW currently under development.

The U.S. market has diversified geographically in recent years. California represented about 80 percent of the U.S. PV market from 2004 to 2005, but last year accounted for less than 30 percent of the market. Other than California, the states that each installed more than 50 MW of PV systems in 2010 were Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Jersey.

In manufacturing, the United States increased its production of solar components substantially in 2010. Production of solar modules rose 62 percent, while wafer production grew 97 percent and cell manufacturing rose 81 percent. However, stiff competition from low-cost regions such as China forced three domestic PV facilities to close last year, including a BP Solar plant in Maryland, Intel-backed SpectraWatt’s New York facility, and Evergreen Solar’s factory in Massachusetts.

“Additional plant closures will not come as a surprise,” SEIA said, but added that new plants would be built this year by Wacker Chemie, Flextronics, and Stion.

Source: Reuters

The sun shines more intensely on the San Luis Valley than any place in Colorado, and federal officials, utilities and solar developers are scurrying to capture some of that energy.

A federal plan to open 22 million acres in the West to solar development – including 170,000 acres in Colorado – is set to be presented to the public Monday night in Alamosa.

Meanwhile, four solar developers are pushing ahead with projects on private lands in the valley that would add about 450 megawatts of electricity generation – enough to power more than 110,000 homes.

“We see the valley as being able to export renewable energy, but there are questions on the appropriate way to do it,” said Christine Canaly, director of the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council.

How to develop, as well as the financial questions surrounding the number of plants that will actually be built, still must be answered.

The Obama administration put a “bull’s-eye on the development of solar energy,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in 2009, when he designated 24 “solar energy zones” – with four in the San Luis Valley – for fast-track development.

The 24 zones, covering 670,000 acres, were chosen because development would have limited environmental impact and they were all close to roads and transmission lines.

Environmental groups supported the approach, but the draft plan proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is now drawing fire.

The draft expands the land available to 22 million acres in the West and from 21,000 acres in Colorado to 170,000 acres.

“There is a disconnect in the bureau’s approach,” said Johanna Wald, an attorney in San Francisco with the Natural Resources Defense Council, a national environmental group.

“The idea of the zones was to make development cheaper and better by reducing conflicts and speeding reviews,” Wald said. “By opening all these additional acres, including land that is unacceptable for development, we are back to square one.”

Ray Brady, the manager of the BLM’s energy policy team in Washington, said there are 98 million acres of potentially developable solar lands and the 22 million selected represent the areas with the fewest environmental impacts.

“The acreage provides more flexibility in development,” Brady said. “Projects would be decided on a case-by-case basis and have a full environmental impact statement review.”

The BLM estimates that solar development over the next 20 years will be 24,000 megawatts in the West requiring 214,000 acres.

“All that development would easily fit in the solar energy zones, so why open so much extra land?” asked Alex Daue, renewable energy coordinator for the Wilderness Society, a national environmental group.

The society analyzed the four zones in the San Luis Valley and found them largely acceptable for solar development, Daue said.

A solar developer already has expressed interest is putting solar panel arrays on two of the four zones, said Joe Vieira, manager of the BLM’s renewable energy team based in Monte Vista.

Meanwhile, proposals for solar developments on private land continue to pop up in the valley.

The first facility to go into operation was a SunEdison 8.2-megawatt photovoltaic plant in 2007.

A second, 17-megawatt photovoltaic plant built by SunPower Corp. is set to provide power this year, and a third, 30-megawatt plant is being built by Iberdrola Renewables Inc.

A $150 million, 30-megawatt plant by Cogentrix, using technology that concentrates the solar energy on solar panels, was announced in August.

All these plants have purchase power agreements with Xcel Energy.

Two bigger projects – that do not yet have purchase agreements and use a solar technology that turns turbines – are in earlier stages of development.

Tessera Solar is proposing a 1,500-acre facility in Saguache County that will use 8,000 38-foot-diameter mirrored solar dishes to catch the sun’s heat to use in turning a turbine.

The technology is, however, expensive, and the company had to abandon two projects in California. It is $15,000 in arrears in its escrow account with Saguache County, according to Wendi Maez, the county land-use director.

The project has been controversial because it is sited on wetlands and grazing lands.

A second concentrating solar power project with a 656-foot-tall tower that holds molten salt storage, allowing for electricity generation at night, is being proposed by Santa Monica, Calif.-based SolarReserve.

The project would involve two 100- megawatt developments, each with a tower. Each phase would cost about $600 million, said Andrew Wang, SolarReserve’s project manager.

SolarReserve is set to break ground on projects in Nevada and Utah this year, Wang said.

A number of wildlife and environmental issues were raised at a public hearing last fall, and the company is conducting studies to answer the questions and expects to file its application to Saguache County in the spring, Wang said.

Views on the valley’s future are mixed.

“Conejos County is one of the poorest in the state, so we are all for development,” said Olive Valdez, whose ranch is about a mile from one of the BLM solar energy zones.

But Ceal Smith, one of the organizers of San Luis Valley Renewable Communities, said: “We don’t want to become a sacrifice zone for renewable energy. … It seems we’ve had one project after another to deal with.”

Source: Denver Post

Never before have so many sought so much radiation and prepared to lose so much money so quickly.

When we worship the sun whether for tans or watts, we worship the past. Factoid: The sunlight you see now actually left the sun eight minutes ago. (Light travels at 186,000 miles per second and the sun is on average 93 million miles away)

From there’s Melanoma in Them There Rays…

A bit of nostalgia: 30 years ago my native Coney Island beaches, until doctors advised otherwise, were filled with oiled-up sun-soakers tilting reflectors towards leathered faces to radiate the wealth of a leisure class. Eventually people realized this was a terrible idea.

…To There’s Gold in Them There Rays

Today those same rays are worshipped not by poor pasty-white Brooklynites but by rich Silicon Valley VCs and the entrepreneurs they fund. The problem I long speculated about is becoming reality. As the Wall Street Journal reported of once high-flyer Solyndra, which is reported to be a flight of Icarus:

Beset by dwindling prospects and scrutiny of a massive federal loan, Solyndra Inc.’s venture capital supporters are seeing their stakes rapidly lose value even as they are forced to dig even deeper for cash to support the troubled solar-panel maker.

Why Solar is the Greatest Unintended Philanthropic Consequence the World Has Seen

Most folks know that enough solar energy hits the world to power much of it. Most also know that breakthroughs in material science, semiconductors and nanotechnology have created better technologies to capture sunlight, turn it to electricity and power economies. Few realize how many startups exist and fewer realize how many are failing, will fail or lose investors and their LPs a fortune. Very competitive technologies almost always benefit most of society, and almost always lose most investors most of their money. History is a guide.

Here’s the situation: It all starts with a narrative. That narrative convinces people of something (like solar energy is the world’s answer or can replace our dependence on foreign oil-never mind that we barely produce any electricity in this country from oil and that it’s a transportation fuel that solar can’t substitute. My eyes hurt from rolling them every time a pundit or politician reports, unchallenged that the high price of oil makes a great case for solar energy). Any time hype gets high, people get excited and the cost of capital gets low. Hundreds of companies can and do get funded at high valuations and it becomes hard to pick winners based on technical merits. Promotional CEOs promising the world raise big stakes at big prices.

Consider: Global Crossing. The narrative was that internet usage was doubling every month and demand for bandwidth would skyrocket. The cost of capital plummeted for entrepreneurs that would lay dark fiber across the oceans connecting the world to the internet. Most of the investors found their cash sunk at the bottom of the ocean along with those pipelines. But the real winners were the third-world consumers in Africa, India, China and the Mid-East who got connected to the internet.

As James Surowiecki has said, “In greed and avarice lies the hope of progress.” That’s exactly right and exactly how capital markets do and should work.

Source: Forbes

LONDON – British shoppers can now pick up a solar panel while out grocery shopping as the country’s third largest supermarket J Sainsbury Plc has started to sell renewable energy technology in some stores.

Sainsbury’s Energy — a five-year partnership with British Gas — is offering small solar panels and loft insulation at stores and online so people can start generating their own energy at home.

Its 2.1 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system costs from around 10,000 pounds ($16,310) to install and set up but could pay back a household as much as 22,000 pounds over 25 years.

Sainsbury’s Energy will deliver and install the units and offers customers 10,000 “reward” points, equal to 50 pounds, which can be used to pay for anything from groceries to holidays.

It is estimated that government schemes due to be introduced this summer, which pay households for each unit of renewable electricity produced, could save them an average 600 pounds a year.

However, a recent survey found that 87 percent of UK consumers do not know what small-scale renewable energy is, and 80 percent do not know where to buy the equipment needed.

That could change. Sainsbury hopes to have trained experts giving advice in hundreds of stores across the country by the end of the year.

“Our ambition is for Sainsbury’s Energy to become the number one destination for customers looking for new energy technologies, energy efficiency measures and great energy deals, so we can help them to reduce costs, while also reducing carbon emissions,” said Justin King, Sainsbury’s chief executive.

BLYTHE, Calif. – Native Americans are clashing with the federal government over plans to fast-track approval and construction of massive solar energy projects that the Indians fear will harm sacred and culturally significant sites in Western deserts.

Recent lawsuits by two native groups pose a threat to half dozen proposed solar developments that the Obama administration has identified as a high priority in its quest for more clean energy production. One suit already has halted work on a major solar farm in Southern California.

Land use and legal experts say the lawsuits mark a new phase in a historically troubled relationship between the federal Bureau of Land Management and American Indians, who in the past have gone to court to block oil, gas, mining and other energy projects on public lands managed by the agency.

“There is this sense that there is this rush to renewable energy that’s politically motivated and when tribes are consulted their concerns aren’t being taken seriously,” said Michelle Raheja, interim director of the California Center for Native Nations. “There’s no guarantee that once the project starts that they won’t harm something.”

President Barack Obama’s goal of generating 80 percent of the nation’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2035 has led to numerous projects proposed on millions of acres of federally owned lands, most in Western states. The administration has put some of the most promising, shovel-ready projects on the fast track for BLM permitting, although the process still could take years of environmental studies and public scrutiny.

Federal officials say they have consulted with multiple tribes and have either made sure the massive solar projects will not harm any historic works or have determined that certain sites are not worthy of protecting.

“The BLM takes very seriously its responsibilities to ensure that these projects are sited and developed in the right way and in the right places, and that we honor our responsibilities to Indian nations and the law,” said Kendra Barkoff, a Department of the Interior spokeswoman, who could not comment specifically on the suits because they are active litigation.

Dave Singleton with the California Native American Heritage Commission, which advises local, state and federal agencies on issues involving indigenous communities, said he’s heard from at least 10 tribes in the Colorado River area concerned about various renewable projects. The problem is in part cultural: while a site may not be registered as historic, some tribal leaders say they know it’s sacred because of oral history accounts.

“The tribes are saying you’ve consulted us, we’ve identified sites and you’re saying it doesn’t matter,” Singleton said. “There’s a rising anger that they’re being treated with disrespect.”

While the concept of using renewable sources of energy such as sunshine aligns with nature-based principles that have historically guided Native communities, members say the projects are simply in the wrong place. Some of 56,000 acres proposed for fast track solar projects in California are near abandoned villages, native drawings and other cultural landmarks.

Southern California, for example, has one of the most significant collections of geoglyphs in the world. In order to communicate with their ancestors, certain tribes created drawings, some as big as football fields, by scraping the dark gravel back to reveal pale dirt below. The wide lines of the drawings were often used for ceremonial dancing.

“There’s plenty of desert out there to build solar panels,” said Boma Johnson, a former archaeologist who worked for the BLM in Yuma for 25 years studying the drawings. “We have something in the Southwestern desert not matched almost anywhere in the world except southern Peru and northern Chile. We really have a national treasure here in this lost area.”

Alfredo Figueroa, whose group La Cuna de Aztlan Sacred Sites Protection Circle filed three lawsuits last month against five fast-tracked projects including a 1,000 megawatt project in Blythe, said the government is not giving their concerns as much weight as is given to federal archeologists.

Where Figueroa sees an ancient throne in a pile of rocks and a thousand-year-old flute player carved into the desert floor, for example, federal experts see something less profound. BLM archeologists believe the flute player and so-called Throne of Quetsequatle are less than 50 years old, with modern concrete used in the throne’s construction.

Despite the suit to stop Solar Millennium’s proposed 7,000 acre project in Blythe, the plan is moving forward, said Andrea Elliott, a company spokeswoman. She said the footprint of the solar farm had been shifted many times to address tribal and environmental concerns, and note she noted that no federally recognized tribes have joined La Cuna’s suit.

“Native American representatives from area tribes have been, and will continue to be, present on site to monitor activities involving cultural resources during project construction,” Solar Millennium said in a statement.

About 100 miles to the southwest, the Quechan tribe got an injunction in December against the Imperial Valley Solar project planned on 6,000 acres of public land near the Mexican border. Preston J. Arrow-weed, a tribal leader, said that despite this victory the fast-track projects are advancing so quickly they are “hitting us from everywhere.

“They seem to want to do it at the price of destroying our history,” said Arrow-weed. “It’s an assault. They’ve already wiped out a lot of things and now they want to wipe out the desert and any evidence of our past.”

Tribes seeking injunctions against projects on federal lands often do not get far, so when a judge does issue an injunction it is indicative of a serious issue, said Patrick Parenteau, an environmental law professor at Vermont Law School’s Natural Resources Law Clinic.

“BLM should be doing more to reach out to the tribes and understand the areas they’re permitting these projects in and what artifacts might be there and what oral traditions exist,” said Parenteau, who tracks the lawsuits filed by tribes. “There is some value to be gained from this.”

Solar power has always been a good alternative energy option, but the cost of manufacturing and installation of the panels and electric systems have been so high that it's never been an option for the typical homeowner. However, SolarCity, an up and coming California company that specializes in solar power, is starting to bring solar energy options to homes. The company leases the solar panel systems, making them a more viable option for homeowners and those who wouldn't otherwise have the option.

Although it could bring this alternative energy to more and more residences, the offer would only be valid to those who live in states that have tax credit options and other incentives for alternative and clean energy. The company, which began four years ago, has already been leasing their solar panel systems and in many cases their customers are paying less for their current electric bills and the cost of the lease than they used to pay for their electric bills alone from standard electric companies.

SolarCity is moving to more and more states, but it's common for the offer to be valid in one state but invalid in neighboring states. The company has explained that unless the state offers tax credits and incentives, it's not a financially feasible to lease their products there because homeowners won't be saving any money. Currently, SolarCity leases to residents in Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington DC.

Many of the states offer different kinds of rebates, tax credits, and other incentives to homeowners who utilize green energy in their homes. For example, Massachusetts, which was recently added to SolarCity's list, offers a 15 percent income tax credit (up to $1,000) and has also implemented other actions to advance green energy in the state. Massachusetts also requires a certain percentage of their electricity to come from renewable and clean sources.

As more and more states plan to offer credits for renewable energy, SolarCity is hoping to spread its services further and get more Americans on board with the green movement. As solar power and other alternative energy options become more affordable, it's almost certain more Americans will switch over to save money and the environment.

On top of the individual state credits, homeowners can apply for a 30 percent tax credit from the federal government. The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows residents to obtain this credit up to $2,000 for the purchase and installation of residential solar electric systems, solar water heating systems, and fuel cells. Although certain requirements must be met, including the efficiency of the system, it is still a great option for those who want to install a solar energy system in their home.

Rachel Krech provides an in-depth look at current environmental issues and local Chicago news stories. As a college student from the Chicago suburbs pursuing two science degrees, she applies her knowledge and passion to both topics to garner further public awareness.