Via Solar Love, reposted with full permission (one image added):

Critics of solar and wind power often point out they are intermittent power sources, and they are correct about that. Cloudy and still days mean low or no energy and that is the major drawback of solar and wind power. However, new hybrid solar and wind power systems in California may offer a viable alternative.

Germany installed nearly 1,000 MW (1 GW) of new solar power in September, bringing its total for the year up to 6,200 MW (6.22 GW). These statistics were provided by the German Federal Network Agency, The Bundesnetzagentur (or BNetzA). The solar industry there also saw solar generation growth of over 50% in the first 9 months of 2012.

US solar and wind developer Lincoln Renewable Energy announced Monday that it has entered into a 20-year power sales agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) to deliver electricity sourced from two upcoming solar projects located in San Bernardino.

Investing the funds that are raised as a result of carbon taxing into a major energy efficiency program could boost the economy and create jobs, as well as dealing with the original issue — energy efficiency. This is according to a new report published by British statutory consumer organisation, Consumer Focus.

Declining PV prices, incentives, and the fear of losing incentives have caused a surge in solar installations in Australia. The result has been that the country has reached 2,000 MW of installed solar PV.

Texas, a state better known for oil production, just hit an all-time record of 8,521 MW from wind power (sent to its largest grid). 8,368 MW sent to the grid from wind power was the previous record. It was achieved twice this year, as well. The day when 8,521 was achieved was the last of a three-day run with an average of about 5,000 MW.

Google is continuing to show its commitment to development of a renewable energy economy, investing $75 million dollars into a 50MW wind farm in Rippey, Iowa.

Last Wednesday, GE celebrated the installation of it’s 20,000th wind turbine. All combined, these 20,000 turbines have the capacity to power the cities of Hong Kong and London.

Solar cell and module shipments increased by 80% in Japan in July, August, and September. The cause was government-initiated incentive programs, most notably an aggressive feed-in tariff.

Four wind farms in China have become operational, totaling 198 MW of capacity.

No form of renewable energy has gained more ground in the past 15 years than wind, with installed capacity up 40-fold. Now, facing a long list of hurdles, the Global Wind Energy Council says the industry will need to work hard to make the next 15 years as fruitful – a necessity in the fight against climate change, in its view.

Australia and the United States will have a bilateral discussion on energy supply and security in 2013, Australian Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson said in a statement on Friday.

Google announced that it was investing $ 280 million in a project to expand the use of solar energy by individuals.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular, as people and cities all over the world have started recognizing their advantages and introducing initiatives to promote the use of the plug-in transport option.

Heating and hotwater industry urges consumers to patch up "hole in the roof"

The United States may become almost self-sufficient in terms of oil and natural gas by 2035, a report from the International Energy Agency states.

Europe's installed wind power capacity has reached the landmark 100 gigawatt level even as doubts about the industry's future growth potential persist.

The British government said as much as $16 million in funding was available to industry leaders who can make wind turbines more efficient to run.

Fuel cells, which convert fuel directly into electricity without burning it, promise a less polluted future where cars run on pure hydrogen and exhaust nothing but water vapor. But the catalysts that make them work are still "sluggish" and worse, expensive.

As you run through airport terminals this holiday season, don’t just fly by their energy-efficient features. Many airport terminals boast some of the country’s greatest advancements in energy efficiency.

Throughout history, American innovation and entrepreneurship have prompted some of the world’s greatest advances. Transcontinental railroads and highways, the space program and the internet each created new markets and opportunities, bringing prosperity to millions. The Wright brothers, Thomas Edison and countless other heroes of American ingenuity have changed the lives of American families for the better.

Long gone are the days where the only place LEDs were useful was the backlighting of a $10 wristwatch. LED technology has come a long way in the past 5 years from being an extremely niche technology to becoming a well-established force in the mainstream lighting market.

A while back I wrote a post on the need to get India’s solar boom right. I wrote it because it was obvious that solar energy was primed to take off in India and it was clear there were two paths the country could take — distribute that boom to benefit the 300 million people still waiting for the grid, or forcibly centralize a resource that is most effective when distributed

Before the solar power grid was completed, the New Zealand-administered grouping of three coral atolls, with a population of just 1,500, relied on diesel generators for electricity.

If you’re interested in renewable energy, you’ve probably heard the term wind-solar hybrid before and wondered what that really meant. On the surface, its pretty straight forward; it’s a renewable energy system, generally small, designed to provide power for your home or small business.