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Solar Returning to the Whitehouse?

It looks like a solar panel used for water heating may be returning to the most famous house in the states. A caravan of solar supporters is on it's way to the whitehouse now, with a solar panel from the Carter administration in tow. Originally added to the White House to supply hot water it was taken down in the Reagan years, but the group is hoping this symbolic panel, if re-instated on the president's roof, could help reignite America's passion for solar power.

Read more: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/a_symbolic_solar_road_trip_to_reignite_a_climate_movement/2317/

Making It Easier for Home Solar Buyers

The upfront costs of solar power are the only major drawback to a home installation, and 1BOG is trying to make that process much simpler. By helping homeowners collaborate to increase buying power and doing the homework on taxbreaks, costs, and maintenance ahead of time they're making the process easier for hundreds of homeowners.

http://www.thejewishchronicle.net/view/full_story/9395325/article-Company-lobbies-group-discount-for-homeowners-going-solar-?instance=home_news_metro_right

Flexible Panels May Be the Future

It looks like Global Solar Energy Inc may be taking on the top three concerns of solar installations all at once: high installation costs, efficiency, and inconsistent energy outputs. The company is already well known for their performance, but their new flexible panels also make installation quick and affordable with their new flexible panels.

http://www.energyboom.com/solar/global-solar-looks-answer-solar-dilemma-stick-solar-panels

Starting Small with Solar Increasingly Possible

In the past solar installations had to be done en masse and almost always cost $25-$40,000 dollars upfront. However solar manufacturers are moving from using DC current which requires 1 expensive converter for an entire array, to multiple micro-converters placed on each panel. This means you can start with as little as 1 panel and work your way up as budget allows.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20014962-54.html

Dow's Solar Shingles

From WSJ: "Dow’s solar shingles are interesting precisely because they offer the prospect of turning something exotic, like solar power, into something mundane, like new shingles. That’s the kind of thing that all new energies —from biofuels to electric cars—need to do in order to escape their category as “niche” solutions and start becoming ubiquitous."

http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/10/09/fiddling-on-the-roof-dows-solar-powered-shingles/