With increased incentives for homeowners to install solar photovoltaic power systems in the form of tax credits and tie in agreements with the local grid, many people are looking to purchase properties that already have solar systems installed. In fact, all across the country potential buyers are talking with their real estate agents about properties that utilize these systems to generate clean renewable power.

Whether you might be searching for solar powered storefronts in Portland, OR or Wilmington NC real estate, you should speak to an agent in your area to discuss the potential tax relief and incentives you would incur by purchasing a home that utilizes solar energy. There are a lot of great properties out there right now and we are in a buyers market so the power is literally in your hands.

There have been a lot of great innovations over the last few years regarding solar electric vehicles and the 04-08 Prius model has been one of the most popular. Having spent a bit of time traveling around the country, I have to admit these vehicles are out there en masse. I really enjoy the new solar electric concept vehicles, but I have to question their designers. I mean, if the vehicle looks normal people will want to drive it. If the vehicle looks like something George Jetson would cruise around in, people go back to that old line, “Everyone is going to laugh at me!” 

Either way, I am excited to see these new vehicles due to the simple fact that we wont have to wait around for infrastructure changes and fueling station updates that we will with other fossil fuel alternatives. In fact, you can see that these companies implementing this new “green” technology have been increasing their value in online trading reports. I wouldn’t expect to see these new vehicles in every driveway anytime soon, but who knows what the future might hold. 

Having a wife who at some times can be best described as a health food nut, has left me wondering if I’ll ever eat a big juicy steak with garlic and cheese potatoes again. Anyway, savory beef aside, I was surfing for some cool solar diet tips and came across an article titled “Eating The Sun”.

The article focuses on whole organic foods that are obviously grown chem. free directly from the sun. Although I am not the biggest fan of fennel, I am willing to try anything once. I guess the “Sunlight Diet” is pretty big in some circles out in California, but I’m sure there are supplements that need to be taken in conjunction with the diet like alli or something so that you don’t get jaundice or whatever.  

The article itself is fairly interesting and offers some insight into the actual diet as well as ways to live a healthier lifestyle with little to no impact on your daily life. Pretty interesting, but I have to admit I was just excited to see the words “Eating The Sun” in the title. 

Having recently undergone a rash of power outages and various grid “issues” many residents in the Galveston and Houston areas have begun looking into the purchase of solar gadgets (especially radios) when preparing for potentially hazardous weather situations. Recently, Sundance Solar has released a number of both solar and crank radios that offer consumers a wide array of options so consumers can choose just what will work well for their needs.

Ranging from $34.95 to $84.95 consumers will have many choices when it comes to selecting a radio. At least they wont have to figure out if you will need HDMI cables and the like. These radios are pretty simple and designed for portability and ease of use. In addition to great solar radios, Sundance Solar offers a wide array of other green gadgets for just about any application you could imagine.

Source: Sundance Solar 

Is green the new black? Well, even if it isn’t it sure feels like it is. With more and more people moving to renewable sources of energy and energy production consumers have been greeted by a vast array of solar powered options for almost every aspect of their lives. In fact, Tuesday at the consumer electronics show in Los Angeles, Voltaic Systems announced a 14-watt solar powered bag beefing up their prior 4-watt offering.  

Imagine the capabilities of a 14-watt panel laptop bag. I mean, this bag generates enough green energy to power a city block… well maybe not a city block, but offers consumers an array of great solar charges instead. I am pretty impressed with the laptop carrier however I am concerned about the $599 price tag. I mean you could use that money to double your laptop memory for that price. 

NRG Dock wants you to save some greenbacks this year by switching to solar. When I say switching to solar, I’m referring to your re-charging methods for your cell, blackberry, PSP or other small communication tools. The device utilizes a small photovoltaic panel to collect energy and features a storage capacity that reliably delivers stored energy when sunlight is unavailable.

In addition to utilizing free, off the grid, energy, the government is issuing 30% tax credits off the original purchase price of your technology. NRG charging stations are just another innovation in the ever blossoming field of solar products bursting onto the scene in ’08, so why not take the plunge into solar with NRG?

We’ve already seen larger applications used on digital signage as well as traffic lights, street lights and billboard lights.  This is just another example of the technology applying things at a more micro level for off grid reliable energy situations.

Stay Classy, an eco-friendly organization based in San Diego, has introduced a new campaign dubbed, The Elemental Experience”. The aforementioned campaign focuses on a number of eco-responsible programs including raising money for the installation of solar panels on San Diego schools.

Scot Chisholm, the CEO of Stay Classy, delivers a brief synopsis of his organizations program which not only includes solar panels for schools, but also other environmental initiatives. Please visit stayclassy.org for more detailed information regarding “The Elemental Experience”, you don’t even have to leave your computer chairs nor return them to their upright position.

There are a lot of cool solar gadgets out in the marketplace nowadays, but a solar security camera is really, in my opinion, one of the coolest. Spy Gadgets slogan, “Serious Surveillance Solutions”, holds true with this truly innovative security option. Imagine never needing to replace batteries, deal with wires and the limitations of being plugged into an outlet or hardwired into a system.

In addition to being completely weatherproof, these security cameras utilize a small photovoltaic panel  and a powerful 2.4 GHz transmitter to guarantee effective surveillance in areas that are out of the way and off the grid. Whether you want to keep an eye on the very outermost regions of your property, or need to follow the movements of your animals, this solar solution is worth checking out.Source: SpyGadgets.com

GreenCore Air has developed an air conditioner that utilizes a single 170 watt solar panel. The system claims that it can cool a 600 square foot room, this is a bold claim considering the limits of a single 170 watt panel. I somewhat expect that cap to be a little high due to the strain on a panel of that size. Apparently the unit runs on DC power, which eliminates the need to use an AC inverter between the panel and unit. By utilizing DC, this unit is better equipped to eliminate the power losses associated with converting AC to DC.

In addition, the unit can also run on an internal battery bank during less than optimal operating conditions. At this point, the unit is offered as either fixed or wheel mounted. Currently, the first GreenCore units are being tested by the U.S. Navy and MacDonalds, does that seem incredibly random to anyone else?

Source: metaefficient 

I recently read an article in the newspaper about solar powered ice cream trucks that were being utilized in some parts of New Mexico and Texas this summer. Apparently the roof of the truck has an array of photovoltaic panels that generate electricity to power the refrigeration units inside the truck that keep the ice cream at temperature during the hot summer months.

I’m a pretty big fan of ice cream (it’s no Coke Zero), but I might just be willing to grab some tape and moving boxes and relocate to either New Mexico or Texas in order to get some of that ultra chilled ice cream next summer.  Alright, maybe I wont move for ice cream, but it is a pretty decent concept. Now they just have to find a way to utilize those panels to power the actual truck.