Inside This Issue

April 2009

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How lightweighting, electrification and convergence are driving the United States toward decarbonized mobility.

By Michael Brylawski

Plugging In Transportation
Long the ruin of sustainable community efforts, the energy-hogging transport sector finally has a viable green option in the coming fleet of electric-drive vehicles.
By Terry Penney and Howard Brown
++ WEB EXCLUSIVE: Find a listing of coming plug-in electric-drive vehicles >
++ SHARE: Comment on this article >

SOLAR TODAY Interviews Chris Paine | Driving EV
The director of “Who Killed the Electric Car” talks about the electric vehicle’s rebirth and why, for him, it begins and ends with solar energy.
By Gina R. Johnson
++ WEB EXCLUSIVE: Read about Chris Paine's solar-powered Marrakesh House >

Get Started | Fine-Tuning a Solar Water-Heating System
This landlord used data logging to adjust a solar water-heating system for maximum energy savings.
By Richard Reis, P.E.
++ SHARE: Tell us about your home retrofit experience >

Case Study | The Net-Zero-Energy Retrofit
The solar remodeling of the author’s 1970s lake house began with a mission: to reduce demand to 10 kilowatt-hours per day.
By David Bolt
++ WEB EXCLUSIVE: Find steps for moving toward net-zero-energy >

India Charts Course for Renewable Energy Future
Progressive policies on electricity infrastructure and climate change put this giant economy on track for world leadership in renewables.
By Alexis Ringwald

By Chuck Kutscher

By Ken Sheinkopf

By Seth Masia

By Robert Ukeiley

By Seth Masia

By Rona Fried, Ph.D.

By Mick Sagrillo

++ Read Ask Ms. Liz's weekly career column >

++ Meet this issue's RE Pioneer: Karl Böer >
++ Read about a Solar Hero: Bill Sinkin >

++ Find a list of RE events here >

Ask Ken Q&As

++ Access the digital edition >
++ Join ASES and get SOLAR TODAY in your mailbox >

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In “Firefighters Learn To Work Around Rooftop PV” (April, page 12) we sought to clarify some issues regarding rooftop access and the potential for electric shock near PV modules. Our short article was illustrated by an out-of-date diagram from the Los Angeles Fire Department, indicating a 4-foot setback between the roof edge and the PV panel. In fact this is a recommendation, not a code requirement, and the margin at the roof peak is 3 feet. Matt Paiss, whom we quoted in the article, writes, “It is our recommendation that all DC conduit be considered energized in daytime hours, instead of making a possibly fatal error assuming the conductors are de-energized when the disconnect is opened.”

The following article, “Integrated Module/Inverter Systems Produce Rooftop AC” (page 14) concluded with a reference to “a big red emergency cut-off switch for use by firefighters and utility company emergency crews.” John C. Wiles, program manager of the Southwest Technology Development Institute, writes that many utilities no longer require any such disconnect. He also points out that charge controllers, also mentioned in the article, are used only in off-grid, battery-backed systems and are rarely used where grid-tied systems have battery back-up.