Oil business is good for investors !

Obama wants to cut unneeded and expensive oil subsidies, but Congress won't go along.

Analysts are expecting a bonanza when Exxon Mobil Corp. announces its fourth-quarter earnings on Monday; the company's stock has jumped by nearly 20% during the last year, and in the first three quarters of 2010, its profit was $21.2 billion — not a bad haul during a worldwide recession. Other oil companies have had similar success, thanks to growing demand in India and China. Yet U.S. taxpayers subsidize this industry to the tune of $4 billion a year.

This kind of largesse toward a hugely profitable business seems bizarre, especially at a time when the federal deficit is reaching alarming proportions, yet efforts to end the tax deductions and credits for companies that don't need them have gone nowhere. That isn't stopping President Obama from trying. In his State of the Union address, he proposed an uptick in federal spending on clean-energy research and development, to be paid for by ending subsidies for oil companies. "I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own. So instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's," Obama said.

He is of course right, but that won't stop Republicans and oil-state Democrats from thwarting his plans. Obama has been trying since his first year in office to cut oil subsidies, calling in his last budget request for the elimination of $36.5 billion in industry tax breaks over the course of a decade. Congress turned him down.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Is it True about Oil subsidies in the Billions of Dollars?

Information on US Oil Subsidies.

The oil industry as a whole receives up to $113 billion per year in direct federal subsidies, according to experts. The 2005 Energy Bill is a prime example of how political dollars translate into legislation. The Energy Bill, in effect until 2010, authorized $4 billion in federal subsidies to the oil and gas industry.According to OpenSecrets.org The Energy & Natural Resources lobby was the fifth highest spender between 1998 and 2005 are, spending $1,395,883,127. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying_in_the_United_States The costs of petroleum unaccounted for in its retail price -- its external costs -- range from $42 billion to nearly $350 billion per year. Translated into cents per gallon, gasoline recei ves subsidies that range from 21 cents to $1.34 per gallon. Tax subsidies received by the petroleum industry are the easiest to measure and account for $3.3 billion to $10.9 billion of this total. The largest single cost element encompasses the military costs of protecting our oil supplies, which range from $26.6 billion to $70.7 billion. The hardest cost element to quantify, but also potentially the most important, is the environmental and health costs associated with pollution and global warming. Estimates of these costs range from $25.5 billion to $267 billion per year. Source: http://www.ilsr.org/carbo/costs/truecostes.html Although Congress did not pass an energy bill until the summer of 2005, oil and gas companies got a huge headstart when, after contributing more than $1.8 million to George Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign, they were invited to sit on Vice-President Cheney’ s “Energy Task Force,” whose report provided the blueprint for the energy bill. You were not represented on this super secret task force, however, as neither citizen advocacy groups nor environmental organizations were invited to join.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

The Future of Sustainable Energy in America

Video: The Future of Propane

In this video, we review two cutting-edge products that offer the kind of energy efficiency and performance that more and more homeowners are asking for in their new homes and remodels. The Rinnai RH360 Solar Reheat Kit and the Generac Off-Grid Power Solution represent the kind of products that will help construction pros meet those homeowner needs through innovation and proven technology. Solar Fusion recognizes the importance in providing effiecient, sustainable clean energy to all, to ensure a truly sustainable future.

Watch the Video - http://bcove.me/8n2ebvnq

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Dhabi- Rise of a Renewable Giant

By Ucilia Wang, Contributor   |   January 25, 2011   

Abu Dhabi -- United Arab Emirates It's no secret that oil rich Abu Dhabi sees renewable energy as the theme for the next chapter of its place in history. The emirate already has invested billions of dollars to pave the way to this new economy. It has taken stakes in many wind and solar power energy projects, started its own solar panel manufacturing business and put money in other solar panel manufacturers in Europe, United States and Asia. It also has formed partnerships with multinational energy, automotive and information technology giants and begun building a city from scratch to showcase low-carbon technologies.

One of the original ideas was to paper the commercial and residential rooftops with solar panels. But doing so is more expensive than building a centralized solar power plant, Ahmed Baghoum, associate director of Masdar City, said.

Its foray into this new venture has just started, and already its leaders are discovering that making the transition from a fossil-fuel based economy isn’t easy, given the resources they are pursuing aren’t simply buried underneath their soil.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/01/abu-dhabi-rise-of-a-renewable-energy-titan?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-January26-2011

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

To Grid tie or Not to grid tie, that is the question

By Dana Blankenhorn   |   January 20, 2011   

I believe it's a mistake for us to focus our view of solar energy solely on the grid.

There are two reasons for this. (The illustration is a thumbnail from NPR's great report on visualizing the U.S. power grid.)

First, it helps renewable opponents like the FUDmasters at the American Enterprise Institute dismiss us.  See, no problem – we're not powering the grid with petroleum. (No, we're powering more than half of it with coal, which makes oil look clean.) We also wind up getting into arguments with the present  – solar doesn't yet scale to utility quantities, something a nuclear plant does out of the box.

Second, and more important, focusing on the grid means we miss much of the real excitement in this space. China, for instance, has yet to connect half its wind power to the grid. They use it locally.

In some ways, what solar does is help make the grid obsolete, at least in the way we've thought of it – as the be-all and end-all of an electric-powered lifestyle.

Two things are happening at once.

Many of our appliances, starting with that PC in front of you, are becoming a lot more efficient, and they're gaining the intelligence needed to make the most of your home grid.  A flat panel TV uses less power than your old model. An LED or fluorescent light bulb uses a lot less power than incandescent, and lasts longer. Other appliances are also becoming more juice-savvy.

At the same time, we're producing a lot more off-the-grid energy. Our marines in Afghanistan are learning to live off the Sun, maintaining their technology advantage while reducing the need for re-supply.

Meanwhile, ordinary Americans are starting to learn to live off the grid. Right now, it's gadget freaks and highly-knowledgeable tinkerers on the frontiers of America who are doing this, combining solar panels with generators.  But this is the way it worked in the 1970s. What began with hobbyists moved in time to the mainstream, as companies learned to “productize” things.

Local governments here are beginning to ask, why are traffic signals locked to a grid that can go down with a single wire? Why aren't they generating their own power locally, and using wireless technology to coordinate with other lights? And where the grid is less powerful, in places like India, people are starting to ask the same questions about cell phone towers.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2011/01/to-grid-or-not-to-grid-that-is-the-question??cmpid=SolarNL-Tuesday-January25-2011

 

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Leaders need to understand that Energy-Efficiency is the first key to Fiscal Responsiblity

By Jon Becker for the Midland Daily News Midland Daily News | Posted: Friday, January 21, 2011 12:45 pm | Updated: 11:24 am, Fri Jan 21, 2011

The Great Lakes Bay Region may be on the forefront of the alternative energy surge in Michigan but some folks are seeing red rather than green.Regional leaders of a movement to reduce energy use and expand renewable energy efforts here Thursday night presented some of their initial ideas to about 100 people at Saginaw Valley State University's Curtiss Hall.

Bay County's Laura Ogar, as lead presenter, outlined some strategies for getting people to act more eco-conscious, which, she and others say, also leads to significant economic development. Most in attendance were buying, but some expressed reservations.

"I don't believe in the whole green thing," said Bay City resident Marianne Koerber. "I jotted down key themes from the presentation like financing, grants, groups ... what happens when the grant funding runs dry? Who pays for it then? It shouldn't be about making us feel better. There's personal choice and other factors in play here."

The concerns and comments from Mrs. Marianne Kroeber is precisely why we at Solar Fusion are all about doing what makes sense and "Cents".  “The increase in exposure and education over the past few years coupled with increased incentives and decreased costs will ignite the solar energy business throughout the World”. Says VP of Solar Fusion Ken Boyle, "Additionally we will see in 2011 an increased in companies that offer energy-efficiency solutions (which Solar Fusion offers) for corporations, which is THE most cost effective way to save money with the quickest and highest ROI". Increasing efficiency is nothing new, CEO's are always looking for more efficient ways to increase productivity and reduce costs, Energy-efficiency is that area that CEO’s must look at” – states Ken Boyle VP of Solar Fusion

Called the Great Lakes Bay Regional Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Renewable Energy Strategy, Ogar said the initiative owes its origins to grant money awarded to states, including Michigan, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus package.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Are SRECs the Future of U.S. Solar Policy?

By Stephen Lacey, Editor   |   January 19, 2011   

 

Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) have been a major buzz phrase in solar policy circles in recent years. While dozens of countries and provinces have implemented FITs outside the U.S., they have yet to make major headway in America. Instead, a number of states have crafted markets based around the trading of Solar Renewable Energy Credits, known as SRECs.

SRECs are tradable credits that represent one megawatt-hour of solar electricity. In states like Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, energy suppliers are required to accumulate a certain number of SRECs to meet a mandated generation target. Power providers can generate the credits themselves by investing directly in projects, or purchase the credits from project owners, brokers or aggregators.

The value of credits is based upon supply and demand: If there's a shortage of solar electricity in a given state, SREC prices will be high, thus stimulating more development. If there's an oversupply of solar, SREC prices will drop. Prices are capped by a penalty that power providers pay if they can't meet their targets. Full article -

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/podcast/2011/01/are-srecs-the-future-of-u-s-solar-policy

 

SREC-based solar programs are increasingly popular. As pioneering states get more experience, many are wondering if SREC-only structures will win out, or if a hybrid approach will be the best solution

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Solar or Gas who will be Sustainable?

Renewable power sources will outpace oil as global energy demand surges nearly 40% in the next 20 years, according to an industry forecast released Wednesday by energy giant BP.

Most of the expected increased in energy demand will come from emerging economies such as China, India, Russia and Brazil, according to "BP Energy Outlook 2030." Such non-OECD countries (Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development), which will account for 93% of the demand growth, will boost their share of demand from just over half currently to two-thirds.

At the same time, energy efficiency and diversification will increase. From 2010 to 2030, the report says, renewable energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels) will increase their contribution to energy growth from 5% to 18%. In contrast, coal and oil are likely to lose market share and natural gas is projected to be the fastest growing fossil fuel. 

The analysis is the first that BP, criticized for its key role in the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill last year, has published, although the company says it has produced 60 years of historical data in its own BP Statistical Review of World Energy.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/01/bprenewable-energy-outpace-oil-2030/1

 

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Solar in the USA is at risk

Hu Jintao, president of China, the dominant producer of solar panels in the world, arrives in Washington, DC, for a State visit Tuesday. He arrives just days after one of America's largest producers of solar panels -- Evergreen Solar -- announced that it was, according to The New York Times, "closing its main American factory, laying off the 800 workers by the end of March and shifting production to a joint venture with a Chinese company in central China. Evergreen cited the much higher government support available in China."

That should make for some interesting dinner conversation at The White House. It should also be the talk of Washington this week.

America has an opportunity to rebuild its economic preeminence through scientific innovation -- and solar energy conversion should be a high priority, given our scientific and technical expertise, our wealth of sunshine especially in the Southwest, and our availability of skilled workers who want and deserve jobs. The question is: Will the U.S. government support the American people in that quest?

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Solar - Buy American will it work?

By Ucilia Wang, Contributor   |   January 13, 2011   |  

 

California, USA -- A lot of energy has been devoted to the "Buy American" clause in a bill signed by President Obama last week that requires the Defense Department to buy U.S.- made solar panels. It's a sexy subject because it stirs passionate debates about fair trade and protectionism and how China's growing political and economic clout is scaring a lot of people.

But what really is the impact of this new law? Here is what Paula Mints, director of energy at Navigant Consulting, said during a webinar yesterday: “The military isn’t buying much, so does it really matter? Very little is actually produced here (in the United States), so it’s kind of a non-starter.”

The comment is a sobering reminder that the military, though a supporter of renewable energy, isn’t a major customer because most of the solar projects that will be built in the next few years will serve the private sector. Mints also raised an issue that will have more impact on the solar industry: manufacturing in the United States. Federal and state government has awarded billions of dollars in loans, grants and tax incentives in just the past two years to help many solar cell and panel makers set up factories. How will these efforts pan out and will the U.S. really bloom as a formidable manufacturing center?

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/01/buy-american-policy-for-solar-who-cares?cmpid=SolarNL-Tuesday-January18-2011

 

Debating the merit of "Buy American" clause in a Defense Department legislation is fun, but that's not a big issue for the solar industry.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

2011 Solar Outlook Optimistic

A recent increase in interest for solar panels, and with more homes expected to utilise them as a renewable energy source the United Kingdom market is set for substantial growth during 2011. 

“The increase in exposure and education over the past few years coupled with increased incentives and decreased costs will ignite the solar energy business throughout the World”. Says VP of Solar Fusion Ken Boyle, "Additionally we will see in 2011 an increased in companies that offer energy-efficiency solutions (which Solar Fusion offers) for corporations, which is THE most cost effective way to save money with the quickest and highest ROI". Increasing efficiency is nothing new, CEO's are always looking for more efficient ways to increase productivity and reduce costs, Energy-efficiency is that area that CEO’s must look at” – states Ken Boyle VP of Solar Fusion

Solar panels generate energy without any noise or pollution, they are made in all sorts of shapes and sizes to suit the environment that they are being used in, some are manufactured to look like roof tiles to give an aesthetic appearance. Domestic households are not the only type of buildings that can gain from solar power. Commercial buildings such as offices and factories can install this type of power generation.

The use of these panels also extends to smaller items such as road speed signs and street lights, with the financial savings on energy bills for households business's and public organisations, not to mention the environmental advantages of such renewable energy sources, demand will continue to increase in the United Kingdom during 2011 asmore and more people become aware of solar panels grants and turn to solar power to harness energy as part of their energy requirements.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Solar Cells that repair it self?

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say Yes they have produced a new class of solar cells that can repair themselves much like plants do through photosynthesis.

By using carbon nanotubes and DNA, scientists at Purdue University have developed solar technology aimed at increasing service life and reducing cost, a university release said Tuesday."We've created artificial photosystems using optical nanomaterials to harvest solar energy that is converted to electrical power," Jong Hyun Choi, a Purdue professor of mechanical engineering, said.

Photoelectrochemical cells that convert sunlight into electricity contain light-absorbing dyes called chromophores, similar to chlorophyll molecules in plants, that degrade due to exposure to sunlight. "The critical disadvantage of conventional photoelectrochemical cells is this degradation," Choi said. The new technology gets around this problem in the same way nature does, by continuously replacing the photo-damaged dyes with new ones. "This sort of self-regeneration is done in plants every hour," Choi said.

Strands of DNA anchored to a platform of carbon nanotubes are engineered to recognize and attach to the chromophores. "The DNA recognizes the dye molecules, and then the system spontaneously self-assembles," Choi said. The new technology could lead to photoelectrochemical cells that can operate at full capacity indefinitely as long as new chromophores are added, the researchers say.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/01/04/Self-repairing-solar-cells-described/UPI-90791294185541/#ixzz1AqRIfn7b

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

President extends energy efficiency and solar energy incentives

President Obama has signed a bill that will extend many energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions through 2011.  Included is Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provides cash assistance to energy producers instead of tax credit.

Under the guidelines, the federal government will provide cash instead of tax credit totaling up to 30% of the qualifying cost of the project.  The measure has been passed in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate and will extend for one year the start-of-construction deadline for wind and solar projects.

Also extended through 2011 are a $1-per-gallon production tax credit for biodiesel, credit for manufacturers of energy-efficient homes, a 50-cent-per-gallon alternative fuel tax credit, and credits for manufacturers of energy-efficient refrigeration units, dishwashers, and washing machines.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Saving Money through weatherizing your Home

Jan 4th 2011 at 3:00PM

The Department of Energy estimates that 20% to 40% of an average American family's energy bill is actually wasted through uncontrolled leakage, insufficient insulation, and failing ductwork. Proper weatherization could save that average family about $218 a year. But how much do you need to spend to get those savings?

The effectiveness of a piece of insulation is measured by its R-Value, which designates its resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating ability, so generally speaking, if you double the R-value of your insulation, you cut your conduction heat loss in half.

The most cost-effective, energy-saving measure you can take is to insulate your attic, because it's where much of a home's energy is lost. Most older houses were built with little or no insulation. In more moderate climates, the minimum recommended R-value is R-30 for an attic, R-11 for walls, R-19 for raised floors, and R-4.2 for ductwork.

Installing insulation with a higher-than-recommended R-value can reap benefits, but only if your insulation is installed correctly. If there are leaks, compressed areas or weak spots where air can flow, all that work and money can be for nothing.

Thanks to our increased awareness of environmental responsibility, many communities and utility companies now offer free energy audits of your home, so ask if you're eligible. Otherwise, check around doors, windows, floors, and switch plates on exterior walls, where air flow is likely to occur. The easiest way to find seepage is to close off a room, light a stick of incense, and watch which way the air flows. Rattling windows and sooty or dusty spots on sills are also signs that air is flowing.

The most expensive way to fix the problem is, obviously, to replace doors and windows. But if you can't afford that, clear plastic sheeting (available at most hardware stores from $17) can be used to seal your windows. Some people have sprayed their window frames with water to get bubble wrap to stick and then affixed it with tape to achieve the same effect. That can be free if you re-use bubble wrap. A third option, storm windows, can cost as little as $7 apiece and can be re-used.

There are other cheap fixes that keep you from having to hire professionals or rebuild your house. Weather stripping and craft items are common fixes to air flow under doors, rubber gaskets can seal switch plates against the elements, caulk ($5-$8) can fill gaps, heavy cloth drapes can contain window drafts, and simply closing the flue of the fireplace can stop one of the biggest culprits of invading cold air. Or you can c ontact an experts in energy-efficiency solutions such as Solar Fusion, one of the leaders in the East, to provide cost effective solutions for you home or business.                                                          
All told, you'll have spent $50 to $350 for materials, which means that if you're like the typical family, you'll have made your money back this year or by next winter. Watch our latest Savings Experiment video for the full scoop on weatherizing your house.

Learn More about Solar Fusion Co rp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Nuclear or Renewable energy, which will succeed?

Washington DC -- According to the most recent issue of the "Monthly Energy Review" by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), "nuclear electric power accounted for 11% of primary energy production and renewable energy accounted for 11% of primary energy production" during the first nine months of 2010 (the most recent period for which data have been released).

More specifically, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar, water, and wind) accounted for 10.9% of domestic energy production and increased by 5.7% compared to the same period in 2009. Meanwhile, nuclear power accounted for 11.4% of domestic energy production but provided 0.5% less energy than a year earlier.

Among the renewable energy sources, biomass and biofuels accounted for 51.95%, hydropower for 31.50%, wind for 10.52%, geothermal for 4.65%, and solar for 1.38%. Comparing the first three-quarters of 2010 against the same period in 2009, hydropower d eclined by 5.2% but geothermal expanded by 1.8%, solar grew by 2.4%, biomass/biofuels increased by 10.0%, and wind grew by 26.7%; combined, non-hydro renewables expanded by 11.5%.

Preliminary data also show that fossil fuels accounted for 78% of primary energy production. Overall, U.S. primary energy production rose by 2% compared with the first nine months of 2009. “Members of the incoming Congress are proposing to slash cost-effective funding for rapidly expanding renewable energy technologies while foolishly plowing ever-more federal dollars into the nuclear power black hole,” said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “The numbers clearly show this would be betting on the obvious loser while ignoring the clearly emerging winner in the energy race.”

And according to EIA’s latest "Electric Power Monthly," renewable energy sources accounted for 10.18% of U.S. electrical generation during the first three-quarter s of 2010. Compared to the same period in 2009, renewables - including hydropower - grew by 2.2%. While conventional hydropower dropped by 5.2%, non-hydro renewable used in electrical generation expanded by 16.8% with geothermal growing by 4.9%, biomass by 5.5%, wind by 27.3%, and solar by 47.1%. Non-hydro renewables accounted for 3.9% of total electrical generation from January 1 - September 30, 2010 -- up from 3.5% the year before.
article found -
http://www.altenergymag.com/news_detail.php?pr_id=18797

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp

Top 5 Mistakes when considering Solar for your home

  

So you’ve decided to invest in solar power for your home to lower your utility bills. Great! But before you proceed any further, it’s important to know some of the more common solar mistakes that homeowners make so you can avoid them. Here are five of the most common mistakes:

Mistake # 1: Missing out on limited time rebates and incentives. Nothing’s worse than making the right step towards solar power and then realizing that you missed out on a large incentive or rebate.  These programs are great for homeowners, but they can have very strict requirements and most expire after a set period.  Make sure you know what solar financial incentives and rebates are available from the federal, state, and municipal government and your local electrical utility.  More importantly, make sure your home solar power system meets every requirement necessary to qualify for the programs and that these programs don’t expire before you’ve completed your installation.

 

Mistake # 2: Not using an experienced solar professional to install your system.  The best solar installers undergo extensive training and are able to rely on years of solar installation experience. These professionals know the incentives and rebates in your area and will ensure that your home solar power system meets the requirements.  They also will optimize your system’s position in relation to the sun, which will guarantee peak performance resulting in the lowest possible electrical bill for you. 

 Mistake # 3: Forgetting to look at financing and leasing options.  The average home solar power system costs between $10,000 and $30,000 after rebates and incentives.  For most of us, this represents a major investment, comparable in cost to a new car. Financing a home solar power system can reduce your initial out-of-pocket expenses and make the entire process easier. Most solar installers will work with you to find the purchase option that makes the most sense and help you get the financing you need.  Leasing is another attractive option if you don’t want to pay for the solar equipment or installation up-front.  Instead, you simply pa y for the electricity that the solar system generates each month. Both financing and leasing are great ways to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses and still experience the benefits of going solar.

 Mistake # 4: Not making your home energy-efficient first. A good first step toward solar is to check your home’s energy efficiency. You can do a simple home energy audit on your own or hire a contractor to help you. Most homeowners discover that they can lower their electric bill simply by making their home more efficient.  In fact, the average home energy audit finds potential electricity savings of up to 30%.  Common energy efficiency problems include leaky air ducts, inefficient appliances and incandescent light bulbs. Solving these problems increases the likelihood that your home solar system will be able to completely eliminate your electric bill and that you may even get a check from the local electric utility every month.

Mistake # 5: Miscalculating your solar savings.  Figuring out exactly how much you can save with your solar panels is a complex process.  It involves a careful evaluation of the installation site, the available sunlight and amount of shading on your home, and the characteristics of the solar panels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn More about Solar Fusion Corp

Posted via email from SolarFusionCorp