Solar Mosaic Raising Crowdfunding for Solar Panels on Military Base

         Solar Mosaic, a solar crowdfunding service, has announced that they have a project on its site that offers to fund solar energy for the U.S. Military Housing in Fort Dix, New Jersey. The project, which calls for 12,270 kilowatts, is said to be more substantial than the others currently listed. Most projects usually range from 1.5 kilowatts to 662 kilowatts. Therefore, Solar Mosaic is seeking to raise $500,000 to invest in this large project, which is being financed in partnership with CIT Group, Inc. In effect, Solar Mosaic and its investors will be funding a small portion of the $35 million project. 

         According to Mosaic's site: "The project will be installed across 547 homes, providing approximately 30% of the electricity needs to military service members and their families." This includes 55,189 solar panels. 

         The Department of Defense is actually the largest consumer of energy in the world, with an annual energy budget of $20 billion. Whether it is experimenting with renewable fuel for jets, or powering bases with solar energy, they are constantly looking for new ways to reduce fossil use. 

          In November 2011, SolarCity has created a project known as SolarStrong, which hopes to supply solar power to 120,000 military homes. Earlier this summer as well, SolarCity had announced plans to put solar panels on 7,500 military homes in Hawaii. 

          By participating in these efforts, the military is currently helping to build a market for solar power. In a May report, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) called the U.S. Department of Defense "the world's largest energy consumer and one of the greatest catalysts of technological innovation." The trade association went on to note the efficiency of renewable energy for the military: "In most cases, the military can sign on long-term contracts for solar energy that are below local retail rates for electricity." 

U.S. Supports Costa Rica in Clean Energy Initiatives

U.S. ambassador Anne S. Andrew joins representatives from each of the winning projects of the Clean Energy Regional Contest. Winners were announced at the University of Costa Rica Planetarium in San Pedro, east of San Jose, on Thursday

     On Thursday, U.S. ambassador Anne S. Andrew along with University of Costa Rica Vice Rector Carlos Raya had presented awards for Costa Rican initiatives to develop renewable energy and other environmental themes. Announced last year by the U.S. State Department and financed by the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), 20 projects had entered the Clean Energy Regional Contest.
     At the University of Costa Rica Planetarium in San Pedro, east of San Jose, 5 winners had been announced. The following winners include: University of Costa Rica, with a project that will introduce the use of alternative energy including solar, wind and biomass in the coffee industry in Central America; Academia de Profesionales Solares de las Americas, which will train professional individuals on how to use solar energy in their businesses; Purdue University, with a plan to promote the use of solar energy in the Caribbean; SNV, a non-governmental organization that will introduce the use of biogas in livestock and coffee industries; and Yo Emprendedor, an association that motivates entrepreneurship with a project that will help a new generation of business owners develop green companies. These following winning projects will each receive a grant up to a total of $210,000.
      "Our countries (the U.S. and Costa Rica) are taking steps to reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons and to promote clean-energy technologies and policies as well as energy efficiency in all sectors," Andrew said. The U.S. State Department had also donated $1 million from ECPA to Michigan State University, which is currently working with University of Costa Rica, to develop solar bio-energy from waste products.