Industry News

NABCEP Holds First Photovoltaic Installer Certification Exam

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) recently held its first Photovoltaic (PV) Installer Certification Exam for installers of solar PV electric systems. Nearly 100 candidates took the exam, which was conducted at 14 sites nationwide. NABCEP's next PV Installers Certification Exam will be held April 17, 2004. Applications for that exam are due in January. To find out more, visit www.nabcep.com.

NTS to Install 150 Solar-Powered Bus Stops in San Diego

National Solar Technologies (NST), a New York-based renewable lighting and power systems manufacturer, has been awarded a contract with North San Diego County Transportation District to manufacture and install 150 solar-powered bus stop lighting systems at bus stops across north San Diego County. The lighting systems will be installed over the next eight months at both sheltered and non-shelter bus stops. For more information, visit www.nationalsolaronline.com.

Kinko's Increases Green Power Use by Nearly 80 Percent

Kinko's, Inc. recently announced new green power and green tag agreements that raise the company's estimated annual renewable power purchases nearly 80 percent to more than 27 million kWh in 18 states. The deals include Kinko's first purchases in North Carolina, South Carolina, Wyoming and Virginia.

Forty-five Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina Kinko's branches now purchase 100 percent of their electricity demands, approximately 13.9 million kWh, through 3 Phases Energy Services Green Certificates, which are generated by biomass projects. In addition, South Carolina's public power electric utility, Santee Cooper, supplies renewable power to another Kinko's location. In Wyoming, two locations serviced by Utah Power and Pacific Power have switched to the Blue Sky renewable program offered by those utilities. Also, this summer Kinko's expanded its green power purchases in Colorado, with 17 more locations switching a portion of their power needs from Kinko's for a total of 28 branches in the state.

More than 25 percent of Kinko's U.S. branches now buy power from renewable sources, including 71 locations now fulfilling 100 percent of their energy demands with green power. For more information, visit www.kinkos.com.

Wind Energies To Go Online in Windy City

The availability of new, locally generated wind energy for Chicago-area businesses and residents was announced earlier this month. The American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago, the city of St. Charles, five faith-based institutions, and the Delta Institute all announced groundbreaking purchases of wind energy from the ComEd-Community Energy Wind Farm at Crescent Ridge. Located in Bureau County, Ill., the Crescent Ridge Wind Farm will be one of the first Illinois-based wind energy facilities when it goes online next year. ComEd has agreed to purchase all of the electricity produced by the wind turbines for 20 years, allowing the project to go forward.

To submit news on solar energy and other diverse forms of renewable energy, click here.