by Pete Danko, October 4th, 2011

Solar Powered Insect Killer

Analysis: Solar startups plough ahead despite Solyndra

Solar Energy Cost

Would you like to own your electricity? Want to stop worrying about rate inflation from your utility company, charging you whatever they like? Did you know that rates have been rising by about 6% each year in California for example? They will only keep going up and up unless you do something about it!

Sweet looking design, snazzy solar panels, and nearly net zero in energy consumption and cost. What a great idea to make an up front investment in something you know is going to help the environment and your wallet/pocketbook in the long run. Check out the article below on this unique, but hopefully becoming more common, net zero house.

Silicon Energy is opening its doors in Mountain Iron, Minnesota.  Things are taking off here in Minnesota for solar!  Check it out:

Germany has been the power house of solar a long time running, but watch out because Italy is poised to take over the title!

What's up Wisconsin?  You had such a great Focus on Energy program that supported solar and renewable energy projects.  The Ashland current writes,  "So far this year, RENEW says the state's Legislature has reduced funding for Focus on Energy, suspended the statewide rule regulating the permitting of wind turbines, and weakened the state’s renewable energy standard by allowing utilities to count Canadian hydropower toward their requirements."  With the Focus on Energy program fully funded, jobs in clean energy had increased by 4,000 jobs and they had accounted for, "2.7 percent of all jobs in the state, compared with 2.5 percent for Iowa, 2.1 percent for Minnesota, 1.9 percent for both Indiana and Michigan, and 1.8 percent for Illinois."  The wages for these jobs were also higher than the average job ($37,931 versus $35,906).  And of course solar doesn't emit pollution into the air we breathe, always a good thing!

Take a look at this cool new solar light bulb that lasts five years and is inexpensive enough to be purchased by developing countries without access to electricity.  Stephen Katsaros invented the bulb and decided that social entrepreneurship is the path toward fixing problems facing developing countries.  He sells his battery powered LED light supply to non-profits and NGOs, for a profit, who then sell the product to some of the 1.4 billion people without access to electricity.   "He believes in creating 'smaller entrepreneurs around the globe' that can further foster local economic growth, according to an Aug. 14 CNN report.