(877) 20-SOLAR Introduces Solar Power to Burbank with 0 Out-Of-Pocket Costs

         The leading Burbank solar energy company, Solar Center, is pleased to announce that their new (877) 20-SOLAR subsidiary is now offering zero down solar energy systems in Burbank. (877) 20-SOLAR is dedicated to serving every aspect of the Burbank solar energy market.
         Solar Center offers leasing options, with an extremely small upfront payment, that's usually around $1,000 but sometimes as low as zero, that allows homeowners to start saving money immediately. Homeowners can also purchase a system and earn an extremely attractive return, typically around 20% per year on the investment. Typical payback periods for solar systems today are approximately 6-8 years, although with leases the paybacks can be instant. As the solar industry has grown and matured over the last decade, the cost of putting solar panels on homes has decreased significantly. There's never been a better time to switch over to renewable clean energy than now and to Go Solar.
         Solar Center is one of a select group of Burbank solar power distributors who can offer the highest efficiency solar panels on the market, those manufactured by SunPower. With SunPower, the Solar Center can tailor a solar panel installation to specific needs and lifestyles, so customers get maximum Burbank solar energy performance without a maximum investment. Also, the provided experienced service and craftsmanship meets the highest standards set by the AAMA (The American Architectural Manufacturers Association).

Why are Solar Energy Projects a SAFE Investment?

       If you are a new investor or you simply are looking around for markets that would be safe to invest in, your choice would most likely be solar energy projects. Why? Well, one reason is because the sun will continue to shine: it currently shines enough rays on the U.S. every day to more than power us for 10 years. 

     Also, solar technology has been a proven and reliable technology. Some solar systems that were installed in the 1970's have lasted far beyond their warranties and are still producing. While it is not a new invented technology, there are improvements recently, which have helped make new systems more reliable. 

      If you are concerned about the quality and efficiency of the solar panel systems, it is most likely that the manufacturers will typically offer 25-year warranties for the equipment, minimum protection guarantees, and insurance to protect against events such as fires or hurricanes. Leading businesses and research groups like DuPont, Standard and Poors, and the Rocky Mountain Institute recently had founded the industry consortium TruSolar. Their goal ultimately is to standardize the risk evaluation process for solar energy projects.

    Investing in solar energy projects are not equivalent to investing in a company's stock. While investing in a business comes risks of the company failing; investing in solar energy projects, on the other hand, would be considered a tangible asset. It's an asset that depends on a proven technology using the rays that we know will keep shining upon it. This means the asset is likely to produce revenue immediately and to keep producing it. 

       Last but not least, solar energy projects, in essence, saves money. With the price of solar energy continuing to fall and costs of fossil fuel is rising, solar energy is poised to become a better investment in the long run. It already has outperformed the S&P 500 in 13 states, and major investors are taking note. 

President Obama Commits to Solar Power Investments

President Obama discusses about solar power to the audience during a stop in Nevada. Solar power will be part of a new initiative to bring electricity to millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa.

          Along with more than $9 billion in private investments, the United States will be committing more than $7 billion in the next five years towards bringing electricity to millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa, President Obama had said on Sunday in South Africa. "Access to electricity is fundamental to opportunity in this age," Obama said in announcing the solar initiative, known as Power Africa. "It's the light that children study by, the energy that allows an idea to be transformed into a real business. It's the lifeline for families to meet their most basic needs. And it's the connection that's needed to plug Africa into the grid of the global economy."
        Sub-Saharan Africa compromises 48 nations. Among the countries to be targeted initially are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. "These countries have set ambitious goals in electric power generation and are making the utility and energy sector reforms to pave the way for investment and growth," the White House said. The more than $7 billion in United States investment will include up to $5 billion in support from the United States Export-Import Bank.
       "More than two-thirds of the residents of sub-Saharan Africa lack access to power," the president said. "In rural areas of the region, more than 85% of people don't have electricity. Power Africa will deliver electricity to cities, villages, and farms throughout sub-Saharan Africa." According to the International Energy Agency, sub-Saharan Africa will need more than $300 billion in investment to provide power for everyone by 2030. "Power Africa will supply electricity to at least 20 million households and businesses," the White House said.

New Jersey Approves $446 Million Solar Investment

        New Jersey state regulators had approved a proposal brought up by the utility company, Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), which the plan triggered permission granted to go ahead on two projects increasing the involvement and usage of solar power. The two projects will both be financed by an incremental increase in customers' utility bills.
         According to Associated Press reports, the first project consists of offering nearly $200 million in loans to commercial and residential areas to install solar power systems in their buildings. The second project will help finance an extension of the utility's Solar4All program through 2016 that helps to develop solar installations primarily on unused landfills and former industrial sites, known as brownfields.
          However, the state-appointed advocate for utility customers has criticized the landfill decision as creating an unfair market advantage for PSE&G since the company is expected to recover its costs through rate increases. In return, New Jersey had, instead, approved the proposal under the conditions that adjustments be made in PSE&G's utility rates such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, raising electric bills for residential customers by $11.45 a year and costs to the same gas customers by $2.18 annually.

Google itself Helps Solar Energy Project

      Involved in its green energy investments, Google has set its eyes on the Jasper Power Project, a South African solar power plant. This investment alone totals to $12 million and claims to be the first project that Google has invested in, pertaining to the location being Africa. However, the $12 million investment provided by Google is not the total investments spent for South Africa for many investors are involved in this as well.
      The Jasper Power Project will be a photovoltaic plant, which will have the capacity to generate 96 megawatts of clean energy for residents of South Africa. The project will not only help meet the country's renewable energy goals but also provide long-term jobs and economic development opportunities.
     "Back in 2008, South Africa experienced a severe energy shortage, which resulted in blackouts throughout the country and slowed down economic growth," writes Google energy and sustainability director Rick Needman on May 30, 2013. "Since then, the South African government has been actively supporting the growth of new sources of electricity to power the nation ... Given South Africa's position  as an economic powerhouse in Africa, a greener grid in South Africa can set an example for the whole continent."

The Jasper Power Project is located in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, near Potmasburg

Once constructed, the project will use solar panels such as these

150 MW California Solar Power Plant is Bought!

      The 150-megawatt Solar Generation 2 photovoltaic power plant, located in Imperial County (California), was recently bought by First Solar, Inc. The construction of this solar power plant is planned to start this year and is set to be completed next year. Once completed, the new photovoltaic solar power plant is to produce enough electricity to power more than 60,0000 homes while displacing more than 115,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This solar power plant will estimably save around 93,000 metric tons of water per year.
      The San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E) has agreed to purchase the electrical output under a 25-year power purchase agreement. Once this agreement is started, the photovoltaic solar plant is expected to provide over 800 construction jobs within Imperial County, which has been overcome with high unemployment.
       "We are very pleased to help SDG&E meet its clean energy goals and provide clean, reliable, renewable power to their customers," said Dana Diller, First Solar Vice President of U.S. Business Development. "We are also proud to once again bring the economic benefits of utility-scale solar development to Imperial County, where both county officials and the Imperial Irrigation District, with which this plant will interconnect, have been extremely supportive."
        The financial details of the new purchase is still unknown but it does include 40 megawatts of solar modules that the project had previously purchased from another supplier. First Solar, Inc., is actually planning to integrate those modules into construction and make up the difference with their own modules in order to complete the construction of the power plant. In addition, First Solar will be providing project development, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and grid integration services.

Solar Market Needs Investors

       According to Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the cost to install solar panels is declining as the solar panel prices have dropped 41% last year compared to 2011. This, in turn, has helped United States solar installations grow 75% in 2012, from the amount of 1,855 megawatts in 2011 to 3,300 megawatts. Because of this steady growth in the solar market, researchers believe that by 2016, solar installations will continue to progress to an estimating amount of 9,000 megawatts.
      However, because there is a lack of investments in the solar market field, these solar projects will never be built or obtained. Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts that the industry will need $3.1 billion of equity investment in 2013, compared to $1.8 billion in 2012. Also, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is committed to helping expand the number of investors in solar projects as the opportunity of investing in such projects would yield much profit and it will enhance sustainability in society today.
      Large investors are able to choose between two strategies in terms of investing in these solar projects. The commonly used method would include making investments in large, utility scale projects. For example, recently, there have been residential solar developers creating funds for investors to take stakes in a large number of residential and small commercial solar projects. The other strategy is to have homeowners, whom don't have the upfront capital to purchase solar systems (which estimates the cost up to $15,000 or more), given the option to pay nothing down for solar equipment.
    EDF continues to plan an effort to reach out to potential solar investors to make the environmental case for investing in solar and other renewable projects. After all, investing in solar energy helps spur economic development, create American jobs, allow for energy independence and lessen our carbon footprint.

Latin America is Focused on Solar Energy!

     Argentina and Venezuela, which are the least renewable energy countries in Latin America, is planning on expanding on solar capacity as the government is willing to support their finances with a few incentives. International developers have actually been helping Argentina by planning plants, which gets as twice the solar radiation of Germany, which is the largest solar market at this time.
     According to Marcelo Alvarez, head of solar for trade group Camara Argentina de Energia Renovable (CADER), he claims that in 2012, Argentina has applied to build 11 projects of 20 megawatts each. By doing so, this would be helping President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's administration in meeting 8% of Argentina's power by 2016, in which the present time in 2013, it is now 2%.
     Argentina plans to build 3,000 megawatts in clean-energy capacity, of which approximately 10% may come from solar energy. About 625 megawatts are mainly in operation, which most of them are small hydropower projects and solar energy reigns only 6.2 megawatts.
     In 2011, regulation has been passed that allows developers to negotiate premium tariffs with the government and grid operation without relying on clean-energy tenders arranged by Energia Argentina SA, the state energy company. Officials have been concentrated on organizing and developing long-term contracts for power from the plants, bringing an interest from companies residing in Spain to China.
     However, Argentina has granted long-term contracts for 895 megawatts in 2010, whereas it included 20 megawatts awarded towards Genneia SA for Argentina's first large solar parks, enabling the energy to be enough to power 30,000 homes. In this, Energia Argentina SA has been backing five companies in starting the projects before the government is able to sign off the tariffs that will support the renewable energy industry.
    In reference to a report by the Inter-American Development Bank and New Energy Finanace, Brazil has been leading Latin America in installed renewables capacity. Latin America and the Caribbean have more than 6,000 megawatts of solar sites under development, which includes about 2,800 megawatts in Chile and 1,400 in Brazil.

Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee has Solar Installations!

      The Knoxville Zoological Gardens, located in Tennessee, has been the first zoo to receive solar installations, which 196 solar panels have been placed across the roof of the Stokely African Elephant Preserve Habitat. This installation has been ordered by Knoxville-based energy contractor ARiES Energy (Alternative Renewable Innovative Economic Solutions for Energy). Specifically, this installation has been made due to a partnership the nonprofit zoo has with Wampler's Farm Sausage and Family Brands International, which they are financing $170,000-$180,000 to construct the solar panels.  In return of this construction, the zoo leased the roof of the barn at its African elephant natural habitat from the Lenoir City-based Wampler's Company. Not only that but they are also supposed to sell Wampler's and Family Brands products such as its barbecues, bacon, and hot dogs at their concession stands.
       The solar installation, alone, could produce 55,595 kilowatt hours of power a year, which actually saves the zoo $825,000 of utilities on water, sewer and gas charges, etc. It also helps the zoo by reducing its carbon footprint, providing environment conservation, and it puts the Knoxville Zoo in a leadership position over other zoos in Tennessee for its green solar installation.

This is Knoxville Zoological Gardens before the solar panels installation

This is Knoxville Zoological Gardens, in progress of the solar panels installation, still to be completed

Investments towards renewable energy

      European investors in the next five years are withdrawing their finances from the construction of facilities generating fossil fuels and inserting them into better use: development of renewable energy sources, known as the RES. These claims were made from representatives from gas companies surved by the British-based Gas Strategies Group at the European Autumn Gas Conference, known as EAGC 2012.
        According to this survey, it was claimed that 42% of gas industry representatives believed that the whole share of investments would go to the wind power sector, 28% believed it would be towards the solar power industry, 13% thought it to be the coal-fired industry,  11% to the gas industry and 7% to the nuclear power industry.
       From last year, it seemed that opinions have indeed changed dramatically: support of solar energy has grew from 4% to 28%, coal-fired industry has grew from 2% to 13%, nuclear energy from 5% to 7%, wind power sector from 52% to 42%, and lastly but not least the gas industry from 37% to 11%.
       There have been reports in the Bloomberg New Energy Finance, that global investment in renewable energy development in 2012 was $268.7 billion, whereas there was $142 billion in investments towards solar power energy as well as the remaining $78.3 billion in the wind power sector.

      Ukraine has also been increasing their involvement in renewable energy. At the beginning of this new year, the total number of companies operating power plants, derived from renewable energy sources has increased to 80, and the number of the power plants has increased to 133, in which 39 are used for solar power energy.
     Ukraine actually has what is known to be the largest power plant in Europe.

Once construction is completed in 2015, this solar power farm is said to be equivalent to 207 football fields. It is expected to produce 100,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, meaning it can be enough to power 20,000 average-sized households.
Even today, Ukraine ranks 12th in energy rankings with installed renewable energy capacity of 54 GW.

Goldman Sachs' view on renewable energy

Goldman Sachs and his viewpoint on solar technology had brought a big inspiration and created a turning point to the insights of solar energy. Let's take our time and view Goldman Sachs' vision and expansion in renewable energy that may be a profitable investment trend in the market.