Net-metering is still under attack in much of the U.S. and Colorado continues being one of the major battlegrounds. Now solar advocates have increased their efforts to fight back against Xcel Energy's, the state’s leading utility, efforts to change net-metering in Colorado by launching a new site, Colorado Solar Voices. 

Normally we cover the solar industry and all various parts from manufacturers and suppliers to new technologies and installers. But one of the keys to getting the most out of a solar array or any alternative energy system is reducing the amount of energy used in a home or business. This helps minimize the size of a solar energy system while maximizing the potential for a return from the system via net-metering or other arrangements. So today we’re writing about the humble light bulb—and giving readers a chance to win GE reveal light bulbs and a $25 gift certificate to Target.

Recently PV Solar Report ran a piece extolling Angie’s List’s ranking of residential solar installers. That’s great. As PV Solar Report points out—and they should know, the company tracks the cost of residential solar installations in California and other leading solar states—residential solar is becoming more mainstream. That means more solar installers than ever before—some of which are great, and then there are those who may be out there to make a fast buck on a short promise. 

Solar power makes headlines almost everyday somewhere around the world. Some of the biggest headlines are grabbed by the biggest projects, like the 500 megawatt Topaz Solar Farm in California. But perhaps it’s the sheer amount of commercial and utility photovoltaic (PV) projects planned or under way that should really grad people’s attention. That number is 4,300 and consists of 95 gigawatts of PV that is underway or in planning stages, according to NPD Solarbuzz’ most recent Global Deal Tracker Report. 

Sol Systems launched a new $100 million fund to support commercial and large-scale solar projects. Under the new fund Sol Systems will support projects between 750 kilowatts and 20 megawatts in size. 

Last Friday Duke Energy, one of North Carolina’s largest power companies called for 300 more megawatts of solar energy in a new request for proposals (RFP) to be installed by the end of 2015—just under two years. North Carolina has quickly grown from one of the nation’s smaller solar markets to the second largest last year.

On Feb. 14, the U.S. International Trade Commission preliminary sided with complainant SolarWorld to impose tariffs on imported solar products from Taiwan in addition to the Chinese solar import tariffs already imposed. The imposition of such tariffs could lead to an increases in prices for solar consumers in the U.S.—or it could not.

The Solar Decathlon, a signature biennial event showcasing the possibilities of solar homes tomorrow with today’s technologies, announced two things today (Feb. 13) its competitors and locations for 2015. The event will stay at Irvine, Calif.’s Orange County Great Park in 2015 and 20 collegiate teams from around the world will compete in the 10 event competition. Now the teams have until fall of 2015 to design build and transport their unique homes to the park’s grounds where they will reconstruct them for the competition. 

In the U.S. solar is coming into a new age of financing arrangements. Even prior to MidAmerican Energy Holdings’ issuance of bonds to support the 550 megawatt Topaz Solar Farm in California, the U.S. solar energy industry was eyeing the creation of securities and bonds to finance solar projects rather than tax equity or other financing structures. 

Today (Feb. 12) the U.S. Energy Department said that utility-scale solar photovoltaic is now more than 60 percent cost-competitive with other energy sources. The news comes just three years into President Obama’s SunShot Initiative, which is attempting to reduce the cost of rooftop solar power until it in parity with grid-supplied electricity.