Written by Rafael Reyes Thursday, 15 November 2012 18:42

Palo Alto Enters 25 Year Solar Contract

Palo Alto’s Utilities Advisory Commission and Finance Committee have approved a 25 year contract with Brannon Solar LLC. This is the city’s first solar energy contract, and the company will provide five percent of the city’s electricity needs per year. The company’s Power Purchase Agreement was approved at the city council meeting as part of the city’s Renewable Portfolio Standard goal of getting at least 33 percent of Palo Alto’s energy from renewable sources by 2015. Approximately 20 percent of Palo Alto’s energy came from renewable sources prior to this contract.

Read more here.

- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org

Written by Rafael Reyes Thursday, 15 November 2012 18:39

GreenFinanceSF Helps San Francisco Cut Energy Use

In an effort to reduce energy use, San Francisco is launching a green financing program to help its estimated 226 million square feet of large commercial buildings become among the country’s most energy and water efficient. The Port of San Francisco’s historic property at Pier One will be the first energy efficiency upgrade funded through the city’s GreenFinanceSF program that uses Property-Assessed Clean Energy bond financing.

Read more here.

- as seen on the Daily Bright Spot www.cabrightspot.org

Written by Rafael Reyes Wednesday, 14 November 2012 18:36

Algae Fuel Being Sold to Regular Customers for First Time

In what appears to be the first time ever, regular drivers of diesel-powered cars will be able to fill up their tanks with an algae diesel fuel blend in a few Northern California cities, including Oakland, Berkeley, Redwood City and San Jose. Propel Fuels, an alternative gas station company in Redwood City, says it will offer the algae fuel blend made by Solazyme, a leading renewable oil and bioproducts company in San Francisco, in a month-long pilot program.

Read more here.

Written by BACC Editor Thursday, 08 November 2012 20:25

DayStar Making Solar Power Available at Night

Union City-based DayStar Technologies is set buy solar energy storage company Premier Global Holdings—with it, DayStar will gain rights to a patent-pending technology that can generate and store solar power within a single unit.  Based on photosynthesis, this innovative technology uses a light-absorbing, battery-like cell to allow for flexibility in the use of solar energy, including at night when the sun is gone and during storms when utility system outages are likely, and reduce overall power usage in the electricity grid.