Beyond Net Zero Energy

 Last week, four shiny new Spotlight Solar structures were installed at an amazing new school in North Carolina. Sandy Grove Middle School is not just net-zero, it will make more energy than it uses. It has a 590kW solar system, a geothermal system, advanced efficiency, LED lighting throughout, and more. And it has four Spotlight Solar “Lift” structures in vibrant color right in front.

When this school opens in August, it will benefit students, faculty, and parents. And it will lift expectations for the whole community. That’s something we’re proud to be part of. AND, because of its innovation in energy management and the public-private funding method, it will save the taxpayers $35 million.

What is Spotlight’s part? It’s the symbol, the shorthand, the landmark. “Hey, have you seen our new school? I heard it’s really green.” “You mean the one with the cool solar trees out front?” “Yeah, that one!.”

The architect and project developer, Firstfloor is the champion of this project (lead architect Kathryn Lynn, pictured). They, along with our integrator partner, PowerSecure Solar, chose Spotlight Solar to provide the cherry on top of this beyond-net-zero sundae. Not just to look great, but to connect the dots for students. Every morning when the busses unload, kids will walk right under beautiful solar machines, and know they are learning at one of the most future-savvy schools in the country.

       

We couldn’t be happier with the result. More pictures here.

We’ll update this story as the building and landscaping reaches completion this summer.

City Hall Spotlights Solar

Last week, a new Spotlight Solar installation was completed at City Hall in Gresham, OR, which borders Portland. The sculptural solar system is set between the city’s modern building and the commuter rail station, so it is very visible.

The City of Gresham has a several clean energy and environmental investments, including about 2000 solar panels at a water treatment plant and (soon) in the city hall parking lot. The Spotlight Solar structures signal the city’s stewardship of the environment and calls every visitor to consider their own choices.  Here is a summary of the city’s green initiatives.

Local news came out to cover the project. An article here.

 

We partnered closely with REC Solar for the installation of these two sculptural solar systems. The REC team showed amazing attention to detail, the result being a beautiful asset for the city. I joined the team for a couple of days and saw their expertise and crisp execution first hand. It is easy to see why REC has been so successful around the country. Special thanks to Jesse Hayhurst and Bryan Shull. We are grateful and eager to work with REC again. 

We were also thrilled to hear that Spotlight was helpful in winning the larger city project:  a $500K solar parking canopy.  Andy Noel, Director of Business Development at REC, noted,

“Including Spotlight Solar in our proposal was key to winning the project.  The client wanted their solar investment to be visible and attractive, and Spotlight uniquely fit that need.”

The color was chosen by the city to complement the building and its surroundings. I’ll admit that I was concerned about it being a bit standoffish, but having been on site, I think it looks great, especially in sunlight, and echoes the natural palette you see throughout the Portland area.

Solar skyline in charlotte

We’re thrilled to report the arrival of two Spotlight Solar structures in downtown Charlotte.  We’ve always said that solar should be more visible.  This ought to do it.

Local TV liked it enough to run three features.  Thanks!

WCNC-TV – Solar Trees added to Uptown Charlotte
WSOC-TV – Crews finish installing solar panels on Discovery Place building
News 14 – Solar Trees planted in Uptown Charlotte

Many thanks to the innovative people at Discovery Place, the science museum hosting this installation (circular glass building). They do great service to the community in all that they do, and this latest contribution will bring greater awareness of solar energy – and a wow factor – to the residents of Charlotte, NC.

The orange “solar tree” (as the press calls them) is oriented toward the summer sun, high in the sky, while the blue one is optimized for winter production. Visitors to Discovery Place will see these on the edge of the parking deck, and find energy production data on a touch-screen display inside the museum (in the glass atrium you see above). They will also learn about the effect of the angle of the sun and shade (the Bank of America Center shades for a while around midday in the winter). Visitors will learn about solar as a clean energy source, and will remember Discovery Place as a fun place to learn new things.

Kudos to Southern Energy Management, our solar integrator partner. Not only did they recognize the promise of visible, attractive solar, they also found a way to accomplish the primary installation work in four hours! They are a great team of committed experts who always do it right, and who have shared and nurtured our vision of great-looking solar.  And thanks as well to Bosch Solar, who donated 24 solar panels for this innovative installation. The City of Charlotte deserves credit as well for supporting this novel installation as part of their Power2Charlotte initiative, furthering their claim to the title City of Energy and complementing the comprehensive Envision Charlotte sustainability program.

An installation on top of a parking deck is unique for Spotlight; normally, our structures live on the ground.  But we’re really excited that well over a million people a year will see these intriguing solar structures each year, in the middle of a bustling city.  More pictures here.

This is what we’re talking about

Solar Today magazine recently ran a story about CenturyLink Field’s 782 kW solar system.  The largest solar system in Washington, at a cost of over $3 million, this is a great example of the Seattle Seahawks organization’s care for their environmental impact.  We greatly respect this.  But we also regret that it is invisible!

OK, not invisible to a few people on the parking deck, or in helicopters.  But the 67,000 people in the stadium can’t see it on the roof of the event center next door.

Let me hasten to add:  The solar system, which will eliminate the pollution equivalent of 260 cars per year, is exactly where it should be: an unused, unshaded roof.  But the Seahawks and Sounders would benefit substantially by having a little more solar where people can see it, to remind fans of their environmental care, and to encourage them to consider their own choices.  Like this, maybe…

Whirligigs in Wilson

Vollis Simpson has become famous for his amazing whirligigs – whimsical constructions with myriad figures, shapes, and colors, all mechanically wind-powered. Now in his 90s, Mr. Simpson still actively builds and maintains his creations. But even for a man of his considerable capability, keeping up with 30+ large and aging clockwork machines/artworks is a bigger task. So the city of Wilson, NC has set out to create a whirligig park, to preserve and display these terrific creations, and celebrate in an enduring way Mr. Simpson’s accomplishments. Work has already begun, and I was privileged to see it in process.

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The Times Covers Ugly Solar

Even in New Jersey, people would prefer solar to be attractive. The main utility in NJ is installing 200,000 solar panels on utility poles, apparently one panel per pole. Quoting an article in in today’s New York Times…

Some residents consider the overhanging panels “ugly” and “hideous” and worry aloud about the effect on property values.

“I hate them,” Mr. Olsen, 40, said of the row of panels attached to electrical poles across the street. “It’s just an eyesore.”

We agree with Mr. Olsen. Utility poles and wires are already bad enough, but get worse when you stick a rectangle on the side.

Here again is a reason for Spotlight Solar. Solar has a place in meeting global energy requirements, but needs to be an aesthetic asset, not a liability.

White House Roundtable (in NC)

Spotlight Solar had an opportunity yesterday to contribute ideas on Winning The Future. The Obama administration has deployed agency leaders to 100+ sites to collect input from business on how the government can act to foster growth and innovation. We were honored to be invited;  my thanks to Henry McKoy, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for NC for the invitation, and to the host, Ron Sims, Deputy Secretary of HUD.

Our suggestion is to couple education initiatives (training a team) with market development (creating a playing field). Government support for the development of new markets is important in renewable energy, since regulation of energy prevents free market forces from functioning efficiently. We need to create favorable conditions for new, promising sources (e.g., solar) for three reasons: 1) the merits of clean energy which use free/renewable inputs are compelling; 2) the early stage of these sources prevent them from competing on cost (yet) with mature but problematic sources; and 3) clean energy/tech is a huge growth opportunity wherein the US lags. 

To be clear, we do not favor long term subsidization of solar, or any other energy source.  Over time, different viable energy sources should be allowed to compete based on their true costs and merits (total costs, including environmental impact).  But some things need help to get started, especially in sectors like energy where the “market” is highly regulated.  Solar needs help to get started.  It is already a $6B industry in the US, but makes up a fraction of 1% of generation, and is still 1/8th of the market in Germany, where policy has provided a solid foundation (and a known phase-out of subsidies). And some things have outgrown a need to be subsidized (e.g., coal).  See Blair Kendall’s blog post on this.

We’d like to see more investment in building demand for renewable energy.  People hold very positive attitudes (a recent study by Elon University in NC found 84% of people in NC supportive of solar), but have limited understanding, low mind-share, and low consideration rates.  We need to bring solar to people’s attention.  I call it marketing, the government calls it public education.  Either way, if we can bring solar to more people’s attention, it can stand on its own feet.  This is why we create visible and attractive solar structures.

Integrator Partners

It is was great to have Gary Gerber of Sun Light & Power together with Bob Kingery of Southern Energy Management last week in NC.  We are grateful to be working with two such impactful leaders in the solar industry.