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Garbett Homes is building something, new, modern and green in Utah’s Daybreak community.

December 9, 2009 in alternative energy, Blog, Green Homes, Green Living, Green Utah Homes, SOLAR ENERGY with 0 Comments

01While spec home are just that, spec homes and typically built en masse in communities where everything looks the same, it is always refreshing to see when someone breaks the mold and does something a little differently now and then. Garbett Homes is doing just that in Utah and I love the change.

In the Southwest corner of Salt Lake County a not so little community called Daybreak has sprung up in the area where the old Kennecott Copper evaporation ponds used to be located and were subsequently cleaned up several years ago. (Click HERE for a PDF document from the EPA on this remediation) Daybreak is a community built around green living, close neighborhoods and Energy Star Certified homes, it takes an area where pollution was a problem and makes it a testament to the change that can happen. A light rail line is even being built to the community (someday…) so that residents can move easily to the heart of Salt Lake City and give those who work there an affordable opportunity for green living outside of the locales they would typically consider closer in. The concept is wonderful! However, until that light rail line is built it is a long way from being green when it comes to proximity to services and the current traffic situation.

In it’s short history the Daybreak style of home has leaned toward late 1800′s and early 1900′s styling where craftsman and Victorian homes were the norm. Something new has now come online from Garbett Homes and it is called the Solaris Collection.

What sets these homes apart is that they are in a modern design and a wide and welcome contrast to the the typical Daybreak craftsman redux. Actually, it is exciting! Very Exciting! Now if they could intersperse them amongst the other styles a little more, so it doesn’t just end up as another overabundance of homes that all look the same.

Some other noteable information on these homes is the materials that they are using here as well. From Hardi Board on the exterior, solar included in the price and r38 insulation in the ceilings, they are also making good strides in green building and energy efficiency with these homes. That and the base price is $206,000! Please note that I did not say GREAT green strides. These homes are Energy Star rated so please take that for what it is worth. It is a start and not the top.

Photos of the homes can be seen on the Garbett Website and through posts over at Grassroots Modern and Jetson Green. Once I have a chance to head out that way I will share some of my own photos and tell you more about the homes and my impressions.

Will Solar payback for you? Find out at RoofRay.

August 15, 2008 in Green Tech, Green Tip and Tricks, SOLAR ENERGY with 0 Comments

I was reading my regular feeds today and came upon RoofRay in a post over at GreenTech Blog by Cnet.

Basically what you can do with RoofRay is draw your solar array on YOUR roof using Google Maps and then RoofRay determines your square footage, total potential power generation capabilities and then your payback time. It takes into account all the main variables as well, using data for your region to determine number of sunlight days, smog, etc… In my own situation I learned that I can generate more than enough power for all of my needs using the roof on my garage and my home.

This is a pretty useful tool for anyone considering whether or not solar is right for them and if you are considering the purchase of a home and want to add solar to it, you can see right away whether or not it will work. Do note, however, that there are still a lot of variables to consider that they can’t possibly consider (think neighbors trees) and that ultimately you should still have a professional evaluation done. All in all this is a pretty cool tool.

Source: Cnet Green Tech Blog

Power Film Solar – 20 years of manufacturing thin film flexible solar.

August 14, 2008 in Green Gear, Innovative Green Ideas, outdoor retailer, SOLAR ENERGY with 0 Comments

This is yet another remarkable product that I came upon at the Outdoor Retailer Convention. Power Film Solar a printed thin film solar product.

This note on the thin film solar product they produce is directly from the website:

Since 1988, the company has focused on developing thin film solar panel technology and an industrial scale manufacturing process to produce low cost solar panels on a high volume basis. Elements of the company’s low cost technology and manufacturing process include the use of: a durable, flexible plastic substrate; roll-to-roll manufacturing to minimize handling costs; amorphous silicon to avoid dependence on the silicon wafer market cycle; and printed interconnection to automate the cell connection process.

Having developed and commercialized an industrial scale production process for low cost thin, flexible solar panels, PowerFilm is in the process of expanding production capacity to meet the rapidly growing demand for solar panels.

What really amazes me about these guys is that they have been producing this product since 1988. There is so much talk about start-up companies like Nano-Solar and these guys have been around all along. Not only that, but they have manufactured many products that you can buy TODAY to power everything from your boat to your campsite to your laptop. Those coats that will power your ipod, they are part of it. backpacks that charge your phone? They make the panels.

For a very detailed product Brochure via a PDF file click here.

GM Adding World's Largest Rooftop Solar Power Installation to Zaragoza Plant

July 16, 2008 in SOLAR ENERGY with 0 Comments

General Motors in an effort to expand their usage of renewable energy sources is  adding the worlds largest solar power installation to the roof of their plant in Zargoza, Spain.  It is expected that this will in turn produce 12 megawatts of power or produce enough annual power to meet the demand of 4,575 households.  The Zaragoza solar installation will cover about
2,000,000 sq. ft. of roof at the plant and comprises about 85,000 solar
panels.

When fully
operational, the Zaragoza solar installation will generate about 12
megawatts of power at its highest output. The installation will
generate about 15.1 million kWh of power annually, which is equivalent
to the demand of 4,575 households with an average annual consumption of
3,300 kWh in Spain.

According to the recent press release, GM
currently has two of the largest solar power installations in the
United States on the roofs of its Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana,
California parts warehouses. The Rancho Cucamonga project was the first
public solar project in the U.S. over 1 mega watt, when it began
operating in the fall of 2006. The solar panels provide about 50
percent of the electricity to the facility.

The
Fontana project, also 1 megawatt, became operational in December 2007.
It generates about 1.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year,
which is about the amount needed to power 200 homes yearly.

While it is easy to think negatively of these large corporations we have to realize that it is changes like these that will drive the rest of the world to adopt these green and sustainable changes through the use of renewable energy sources. 

Buy your own Nanosolar Panel on Ebay!!! The second panel ever produced!

December 19, 2007 in SOLAR ENERGY with 0 Comments

With being featured, over 700 views and almost 300 clicks I know that many of you have read my post on Nanosolar technology. Well, now you can buy a nanosolar panel on Ebay! The folks at Nanosolar have placed the second commercial pannel ever produced up for sale on Ebay. The first is in their offices and the third has been donated to a tech museum. This one is being sold to raise money for charity.

Currently the bid is up to $10,300and they have had 83 bids. Gosh I wish I had the money! Check out the auction here!

Here is the description from the auction:
This is the second commercial panel produced by Nanosolar you can purchase here (see arrow).

Panel #1 remains at Nanosolar for exhibit.

Panel #3 has been donated to the Tech Museum in San Jose.

It is the world’s first commercial panel based on a printed CIGS semiconductor. The world’s first back-contacted CIGS cell too.

For more information see also the company’s website at http://www.nanosolar.com/

Read carefully! If you cannot agree to these terms, DO NOT BID!

This solar panel is sold AS-IS, without any warranties (either express or implied). As we make no claims to any express or implied warranties, all bidders acknowledge and agree that this panel is presented as a collectable item that may have potential historical value, not an item meeting any specifications.

This solar panel is currently in Seller’s possession but it will be held in escrow until 6/1/2009 before local pick-up by the winning bidder (or shipment at cost to the winning bidder). Prior to delivery, the winning bidder agrees to sign an agreement with Seller prohibiting any reverse engineering of the solar panel or its components after the bidder receives the solar panel.

All bidders acknowledge and agree that Seller reserves the right to notify bidders and cancel this auction at anytime for any reason, and Seller shall not be held liable for any such cancellation or closure. FIRST TIME EBAY BUYERS AND BIDDERS MUST CONTACT SELLER PRIOR TO BIDDING OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM AUCTION! SELLER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REMOVE ANY BIDDER OR BUYER FROM THE AUCTION FOR ANY REASON, AND SELLER SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY SUCH BID REMOVAL OR CANCELLATION.
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