Cerium — found mostly in glass polishing formulas and phosphors used for screens and fluorescent lamps — is a metal that oxidizes in air. Haile and her team have discovered that when the metal reaches nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit it can turn carbon dioxide and water into fuel. But if you use dirty energy to get the element up to that temperature, the process is counterproductive. That’s where solar comes in.

Scientists think cerium is the key in converting carbon dixoide and water into liquid fuel.

This past summer, the research team was able to use solar energy to heat a device to get the cerium up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. At one percent, the efficiency rate is clearly far too low to hit the market, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction in terms of being able to capture solar energy to develop liquid fuel. What’s particularly interesting is that the same piece of cerium can be used many times over because it doesn’t lose its chemical properties through the reaction process.

Haile also has a partner in the Duke University chemistry department named Erik Toone, who wants to use his biology background to help Haile. As he puts it, they’re both trying to do the same thing: use solar photons to develop high-efficiency liquid fuel. Toone thinks the process is still between 10 and 15 years away from widespread use, but when it does catch on, it’s likely to be a major game-changer in the energy industry.

Haile hopes to get the efficiency level up around ten percent. And of course, the technology would have to be cost effective in order to really catch on with the general public.

a

An alternative has emerged in recent years that enables groups of residents to band together to purchase and install a solar power system in a single, communal location. Commonly referred to as a solar garden or a solar community, the approach enables individuals to reap the benefits of solar power — namely lower electricity bills — without hosting the system on site.

It can be a difficult feat to pull off, however. If you’re trying to start a solar movement within your community but are stuck at the starting line, caught between deciding who to talk to and which roofs are suitable for solar, there’s a new guide that can help you get your solar revolution off the ground.

Called “A Guide to Community Solar: Utility,Private and Non-profit Development,” it was developed by a group called Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (SEED) — a non-profit organization dedicated to building a framework for clean and affordable energy systems throughout the Northwest. The guide is meant to answer many questions about building a community solar operation, which means many members of a single community own or receive energy from a single energy system.

The newly released guide also includes a set of best practices developed by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. Dubbed the Model Community Renewables Program Rules, IREC’s documentation offers: examples of community solar projects from around the United States; a template that states and utilities can use to encourage community solar; and guidelines as far as taxes and other financial issues that come along with such a system.

One state in which we’ve already seen a community solar project in is Colorado, where in June 2010 Governor Bill Ritter signed the Community Solar Gardens Act into law. The act allows residents of 10 or more to each own a share of a solar energy system and get refunds on their utility bill. And just a few weeks ago, the Eagle County Board of County Commissioners amended Colorado’s ECO-Build Rebate Program to allow community-owned solar projects to apply for the rebate.

In 2008, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) found that only about a quarter of all roofs are good for solar. The rest are off limits because of structural, shading or ownership issues. So a community-based model may open up the possibility for many more people.

But it doesn’t come without drawbacks. One is that you have to find a proper location for the communally owned system, where as a rooftop typically has a single owner and offers existing infrastructure. Moreover, most solar rebate programs do not include a provision to community solar projects. So unless bands of community members are willing to fully pay for the system — which is unlikely — more amendments similar to the one made to Colorado’s ECO-Build program will have to be made around the country in order for the community model to really catch on.

a

So goes the thought of Germany’s Immo Stroeher, who today docked his solar-powered boat at the Caribbean vacation spot. The boat — dubbed PlanetSolar — is the largest solar-powered boat in the world. At over 60 feet long, it can sail the seas at an average speed of 7 or 8 knots — and has been doing so since last Fall when the ship set sail in Monaco for a voyage around the world. After a short stay in Mexico, PlanetSolar will head off to Cartegena, Colombia, and is expected to complete its 31,000 mile mission in the Spring of 2012. If the crew really puts the pedal to the metal, Turanor PlanetSolar can cruise as high as 15 knots.

PlantSolar was introduced earlier this year in Kiel, Germany, covered with over 5,780 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. It’s capable of holding a 50-member crew, but they all have to be inside the boat as any potential lounging space on the deck is covered in solar cells.

Stroeher isn’t making the voyage just for fun. He wants his boat to serve as an example for other inventors. The message? You don’t have to choose between clean energy and innovation in transportation; you can have the proverbial pie and eat it too:

The aim is to offer future-proof solutions for sustainable living in major cities and environmentally responsible mobility concepts. Solar mobility can make a significant contribution to this endeavor.”

Docking alongside the U.N. meeting definitely gave leaders something to consider. But they shouldn’t need a giant boat to be placed in front them to realize the benefits of solar energy. Everywhere you look, new solar-powered inventions are popping up, from solar airplanes and pilotless drones, to solar cars and even solar surfboards (and don’t forget the home solar installations!).

If you’re interested, you can track the progress of the PlanetSolar solar boat here.

a

The downturn is just part of the reason that homebuilders could, according to a new report, do more in terms of greenbuilding — that is, designing homes that come equipped with environmentally friendly features, like energy efficient appliances and lights, insulated windows and solar energy systems. As relayed by WSJ Blogs,

“Companies today have taken many meaningful steps toward developing greener and cleaner homes,” the report states. “However, given the environmental impact that home building has, the industry has significantly more progress to make.”

Issued by Calvert Investments — the Maryland-based group that focuses invests in socially and environmentally responsible companies — the report ranks the top ten biggest public home builders based on land use, building materials, energy, water and climate change. Calvert concluded that, for the most part, many green features are available — and homebuilders are more than willing to use them. The problem is that home buyers are not willing to pay the extra buck; buyers seem more concerned with price than environmental considerations. And even the most stable building companies can’t afford to build homes that people won’t buy.

So the logical question would be: Is it possible to build a home that’s easy on the wallet and the environment?

California-based KB Home may have the answer. Like many of its counterparts, KB Home makes made-to-order homes. You pick the size, location and design, and they build it. The building company tops Calvert’s list, mainly because it has found a happy medium with its “Open Series,” which the company describes as economic and efficient.

Pulte Homes did OK, ranking second, but Calvert sees KB as the only company in the study to provide a comprehensive sustainability report of its homes. To boot, KB was tops in all categories (land use, building materials, energy, water and climate change), has built more Energy Star qualified homes than the others and, notably, conducted a recent study to show homeowners the benefits of owning an Energy Star qualified home over a long period of time.

a

The report was released in Cancun, Mexico, where United Nations leaders are meeting throughout early December in order to decide whether or not to extend the Kyoto Protocol. SEIA’s report couldn’t have been more timely.

According to the trade group’s numbers, the United States would have to install 139 GW worth of solar capacity if the world is to reach the 2020 prediction. That would mean that, within a decade, 4.9 percent of all of the energy used in the U.S. would come from solar power. That figure now stands at less than one percent. It would also mean that 683,000 Americans would be working in the solar energy sector, and the price of installed solar panels will have dropped from its current rate of $5.71 per watt to $2.32 per watt.

There are some naysayers who believe the SEIA report’s figures are too high. Vice President of Marketing at SolFocus, Nancy Hartsoch, is among them. Her Palo Alto, California-based company makes concentrating solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, and she says there are two reasons why 980 GW by 2020 is unlikely. One is that a tremendous amount of money will be needed just to make the materials needed to reach such a gigawatt figure — money that simply isn’t available right now. The second reason is that, throughout most of the world, solar energy has yet to reach grid parity — the point at which solar energy is equal to or cheaper in cost than traditional grid power energy.

The adoption of that much solar power likely means that much stricter clean energy policies would have to be adopted around the globe, which is the point of the current Cancun, Mexico meetings. On December 6, the solar groups present at the meetings will discuss the solar standards of 20 countries and the European Union. What results from those talks may either support or discredit SEIA’s 980-GW thesis.

a

Yesterday, the group announced it has acquired a submarine tour business to offer visitors “undersea adventures using quiet, electric-powered submersible vehicles with near-zero environmental impact.” Hidden at the bottom of that press release was a reference to Nabisolar, a solar installation company with which HHGI has partnered to introduce solar power to a number of the developer’s properties.

While the size and scope of the soon-t0-be installed solar energy systems has not been disclosed, HHGI apparently already offers design and installation services to other eco-tourism business in Hawaii through its relationship with Nabisolar. With their high electricity prices and strong solar incentives, Hawaii is an excellent place to install a solar energy system for a home or business.

a

The Clinton Climate Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute, Jones Lang LaSalle and Johnson controls will together pay for newly installed insulated windows, lighting upgrades and improved HVAC — a feat that will cut the Empire State Building’s energy consumption by 38 percent and slash its energy costs by $4.4 million annually. The project will make the property eligible for “Gold” status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Not to be overlooked, the Empire State’s energy efficiency upgrades will also prevent 105,000 metric tons of atmospheric CO2 emissions over the next 15 years. Since New York’s buildings account for 80 percent of the city’s carbon emissions — and rack up a collective energy bill of $15 billion, relatively small steps — like those being undertaken at Empire State — can combine for big impact.

You too, as a homeowner, can reap similar savings. EnergyStar estimates that similar energy efficiency upgrades to an average American home can trim a utility bill by up to 20 percent. Once you’ve reduced the amount of electricity you need, then you’re really ready to install a solar home energy system. For more solar home tips, see our handy blog post, Five Things You Should Do Before You Get Solar.

a

Lighthouse Solar is helping bankroll the project under a seven-year agreement. In exchange, the Boulder-based company will receive state tax credits and incentives from Xcel Energy, one of Colorado’s largest electric utility companies. CU-Boulder could have financed the system itself, but the partnership with Lighthouse will enable the school to monetize solar tax credits that would otherwise go unused. We’ll let CU’s Energy Conservation Officer Moe Tabrizi explain:

“The university is not subject to tax; therefore, if we would have done this project on our own, we would have left a significant amount of tax credits on the table. Another advantage is that at the end of seven years we will have the opportunity to buy the solar panels installed on CINC at a fraction of their original cost.”

The CU-Boulder campus is no stranger to solar energy: it already boasts solar energy systems atop a number of buildings, including its Coors Event Center, the Housing System Maintenance Center and the Wolf Law Building. This latest installation will be the campus’s fourth, and likely not its last. Plans are currently in the works to install a solar energy system atop a residence hall that, once complete, would boost CU-Boulder’s total solar power capacity to 336 kilowatts (kW).

Beyond advancing the university’s own commitment to sustainability and renewable power, the CU-Boulder solar projects are also inching Colorado toward the fulfillment of Amendment 37, which calls for 20 percent of the Colorado’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2020.

a

The majority purchase paved the way for an announcement this week that Panasonic would combine Sanyo’s solar modules line of business with its own networks — in energy management, electrical technology and sales – to offer a new line of energy-related home products. The companies will kick off the venture by releasing the HIT 215 Series household solar power generation systems at the beginning of July.

The main feature is a single-crystalline hybrid solar cell, which was originally a product of Sanyo. The panel allows for two different installation options. One is the “Sheathing Attached Type F,” in which the panel can be directly installed onto the outer covering of new homes. The second is the “Rooftop-Mounted Type,” which Sanyo recommends for newly renovated homes.

As a result of the new collaborative relationship, Sanyo’s HIT panels may be integrated with Panasonic’s home energy management system, called “Lifinity.” Homeowners can use Lifinity to track the system’s production, their hourly electricity usage and utility savings.

According to the companies’ press release, the tie-up is an effort to “boost its [Panasonic's] product strengths in devices that create energy, store energy, and save energy; its ability to offer value by linking these devices together as systems; and its capacity to sell these products and systems across the globe. Such initiatives are designed to accelerate the growth of its energy systems business as a flagship business for the entire company.”

Panasonic is looking to expand in the market quickly. By 2012, the international technology company hopes to gain market share of at least 35 percent in Japan.

a

In an effort to gauge consumer reaction and preview how the Plug-in Prius performs in the real world, Toyota will this summer provide a sneak peak to a number of lucky individual across the country. As reported by SignOnSanDiego, a total of 150 new vehicles will be lent to cities, companies and universities in several cities across the country. Among them is San Diego.

The car is not designed for highway driving, as it barely surpasses 62 mph. The goal, rather, is to eliminate the use of gasoline on short, city trips. Charged via the electricity grid, the Plug-in Prius could in the future be fueled in part by solar energy.

Toyota will be charging a premium for the plug-in feature, but the cost is still undetermined. The new Prius is one of two energy-efficient cars that Toyota will release come 2012. The other, yet to be named, will, when fully charged, be able to travel 50 miles before burning gasoline.

Toyota is set to manufacture 20,000 to 30,000 plug-in cars during the first year of production.

a