You Are a Solar Champion!
If you already have a rooftop solar system, Cool Davis wants to THANK YOU! We also want to give you an “I am Solar Powered” or “I Love Solar” sticker so you can share your solar pride! Put your sticker on your mailbox, bicycle, laptop,…
All Electric Homes in Davis: the Carrot vs. the Stick
In January, the California Energy Commission approved a new building code in Davis that encourages the construction of all-electric homes and discourages the use of natural gas to fuel residential appliances and heating systems. This comes after numerous California cities have approved similar initiatives, including…
Per Capita Davis: New report on world energy outlook
There are several highly reputable organizations tracking the science of the climate crisis and issuing regular reports. Probably the best known of these is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change at the United Nations. Another, right up there at the top in terms of reputation…
Updates on the Solar Energy Federal Tax Credit
The installation of a residential solar system certainly became easier on the wallet with the current 30 percent federal tax credit! Residents who purchase their solar system either with cash or a loan may be eligible for a 30 percent tax credit. Unfortunately, this percentage…
Fall Interns at Cool Davis: Nayelie and Amy
Nayelie Quezada is an environmental outreach and community development intern at Cool Davis. She is an undergraduate student at UC Davis majoring in Community and Regional Development major and minoring in Environmental Science and Policy. And upon graduation from UC Davis, Nayelie would like to…
Meet Chrissy Backman, Our New Campaign Field Coordinator
Our new campaign field coordinator sat down with our longtime writer, Michael Kluk, for a little Q&A. See the results below: What will your new job involve? As Campaign Field Coordinator, I’ll be planning and facilitating activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our community….
Classic Central Davis Home Becomes a (Solar) Energy Producer
Nancy Bramberg and Richard Curley live in a neat 1950s vintage home on a quiet street in Central Davis. They’re well settled to our community and didn’t need to make any big changes to continue their idyllic Davis life. But, in 2017, Nancy and Richard…
VCE adds solar customers, dividends
The Valley Clean Energy board of directors a pair of decisions in June to fulfill two promises to its customers. The board voted unanimously to begin including Net Energy Metered solar customers in VCE service starting in January 2020, and additionally voted to launch a…
Solar panels at Davis Community, and other churches, providing lots of electricity
A recently installed array of solar panels on the roof at Davis Community Church is now providing about three-quarters of the electricity used by the congregation, which has a one-block campus across the street from Central Park in downtown Davis. Several other local congregations are…
Plant Nerd and Fish Guy Update Home with Solar, Solar Water Heating
Chris and Christy Dewees have owned their house in Village Homes since it was originally built in 1977. The house came equipped with energy efficient features such as passive solar cooling, extra insulation, dual-paned windows, and solar water heating panels. As the home aged, its…
City of Davis Adopts Solar Standard for All New Commericial Buildings
The City of Davis announced May 20 that it is now requiring solar photovoltaics on all new non-residential buildings and any proposed high-rise, multi-family dwellings. The ordinance to amend city code also includes electric vehicle charging for new development. The Davis City Council passed a…
Want to Add Solar Panels to Your New Home? Five Considerations
Editor’s Note: Solar tax credits begin to sunset at the end of 2019. To take advantage of the full 30% credit deducted from your tax owed, get your system by December 31, 2019. Before adding solar to your recently purchased home, here are five considerations:…
Per Capita Davis: Some good news for a change
Spring has sprung and its time for some good news for a change on the climate front. First, maybe a new approach will help solve the issue of where to locate solar panels. Some people (fewer now) complain that they are unsightly and don’t want…
The Sun Is Setting on the 30% Solar Tax Credit
The solar tax credit has been with us since 2005. In its current form, it provides a 30% tax credit for the installation of a solar system to generate electricity or for a solar hot water system. This allows a homeowner to directly subtract 30%…
Solar “Power Pioneer” Proves Payback Period Has Decreased Dramatically
It’s not surprising that Sue Fields decided to put solar panels on her roof in 2010 — a relatively early time in the movement – she’s an environmental engineer after all. Sue freely admits she didn’t research all of the installers in the area or…
Solar water heating systems: Cost-effective and carbon reducing
Solar water heating (SWH) systems heat water using energy from the sun in rooftop collectors that generally loop into a solar water storage tank. This additional storage tank adds hot water storage capacity and reduces household energy usage. Monthly savings compared to a typical natural…
Per Capita Davis: There are some positive signs for renewables
My inbox gets filled with articles and information that’s interesting and important, but which doesn’t rise to the level of a 900-word column. Here are three of those items. But will they vote? Back in May, the Conservative Energy Network sponsored a poll conducted by…
Partial Fixes for Partial Shade
Tis my delight, alone in summer shade / To pipe a simple song for thinking hearts. — William Wordsworth Wordsworth may have appreciated shade on a summer day, but solar panels do not. Most people know that solar panels produce little on a cloudy day….
Per Capita Davis: A few positive signposts
Hopefully we haven’t leapfrogged from winter into summer, and we’ll get to enjoy spring weather for a while. Spring always brings with it a burst of life energy as dormant trees begin to leaf out, the hills and fields are covered with an intensely beautiful…
Electric vehicles reach a tipping point
Auto writers and forecasters including mainstream business publications like The Economist and Business Insider believe we’re fast approaching a tipping point in the adoption of electric vehicles. Author Malcolm Gladwell popularized the term tipping point in his 2000 book by the same name. According to…
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Make this a moment of opportunity by supporting local businesses and keeping your community healthy. Fly your flags Davis, one small way to show what matters to you this coming Earth Day April 22nd. @cityofdavis Valley Clean Energy GreenerDavis #EarthDay2020 #livecooldavis Homemade versions on the way, what does yours look like?
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