Author: Osea Nelson
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/the-solar-coaste…

Solar Talk 4.0 is up and ready for your viewing pleasure. This month we discuss price instability for 2011.

Happy New Year!

http://coloradoenergynews.com/2011/01/the-solar-coaster-pricing-ride/

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/the-solar-coaste…

Author: Osea Nelson
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/galapagos-diarie…

Chapter 2 up and running on Colorado Energy News! Check it out.

http://coloradoenergynews.com/2010/11/galapagos-diaries-chapter-2-%e2%80%93-realities-on-the-ground/

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/galapagos-diarie…

Author: Osea Nelson
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/october-solar-ta…

This month in Solar Talk we tackle the microinverter vs. standard inverter debate. Hope you will join the conversation.

http://coloradoenergynews.com/2010/09/solar-talk-a-shady-proposition-micro-inverter-vs-single-inverter-which-one-is-right-for-your-system/

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/october-solar-ta…

Author: Osea Nelson
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/galapagos-resear…

Astralux Employee Osea Nelson spent 30 days in the Galapagos Islands over the Christmas holiday last year researching the bold plan to have the islands fossil fuel free by 2015. You can see the first chapter in a five part series documenting the trip at Colorado Energy News.

http://coloradoenergynews.com/2010/09/the-galapagos-diaries-an-energy-odyssey/

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/galapagos-resear…

Author: Jesse Malcomb
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/xcel-energy-sock…

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_15906843

Need another reason to go solar in Colorado? Here you go:

Denver had the second-highest increase in electric rates in the country in the first half of this year — 21.4 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics…

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_15906843

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/xcel-energy-sock…

Author: Jesse Malcomb
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/solar-talk-lease…

http://bit.ly/a9KriB

By Osea Nelson, Astralux Solar

This first column addresses a topic that has dominated the solar scene this year — SHOULD I BUY OR LEASE MY SOLAR PV INSTALLATION? The decision can be boiled down to two questions. First, what is my investment time horizon? Second, what is my primary reason for going solar?

Read more: http://bit.ly/a9KriB

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/solar-talk-lease…

Author: Jesse Malcomb
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/astralux-solar-s…

http://bit.ly/don4tX

Astralux Solar is a sponsor of AM760 David Sirota’s Low Impact Week:

I was inspired to reduce my carbon footprint after having a conversation with Colin Beavan who created the book and movie “No Impact Man.” You can do it too! It’s a one-week challenge to reduce our carbon emissions and have less of an impact on our environment in general. No, you don’t have to build a hut in the woods and wear a loincloth. I’m breaking it down to 5 simple things we can do without. Each day of the week we’ll add one more thing to try and stick with it for the remainder of the week…

Click here to join the challenge: http://bit.ly/don4tX

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/astralux-solar-s…

Author: Jesse Malcomb
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/xcel-energy-turn…

From June 1st to September 31st, electricity for Colorado homes will cost up to $0.15 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Traditionally this year, electricity from Xcel Energy in Colorado has run around $0.105 per kWh.

With the new two tiered rate system just released by Xcel, every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity above 500 used by a residential home in a given month will be subject to this much higher fee. The average household electricity consumption in Colorado is around 700kWh per month - which means the average family would pay the 2nd-tier rate on about 200kWh of their usage.

Here’s a simple breakdown

Traditional Rate System:

700kWh (Usage) x $0.105 (Avg. Electricity Rate) = $73.50

New 2-Tier Rate System:

Tier 1 - 500kWh (Usage) x $0.10 (Avg. Tier 1 Rate) = $50.00
Tier 2 - 200kWh (Usage) x $0.15 (Avg. Tier 2 Rate) = $30.00
Total = $80.00 ($0.115 per kWh)

This would represent a 9% increase. For bigger users of electricity, this new tier will represent a significant…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/xcel-energy-turn…

Author: Jesse Malcomb
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/stimulus-funds-e…

(Alamosa, CO – May 21, 2010) – Astralux Power Systems, a leading solar energy integrator in Colorado, has finished a 19.74 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system installation on the Crouse Organic Farm in Alamosa, Colorado. This project was partially funded through the Colorado Government Energy Office’s (GEO) New Energy Economy Development (NEED) grant program. The Crouse solar project was one of 17 projects to be funded out of over 200 applicants. The NEED grant program was created with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The Crouse Farm solar project is an integral step towards transitioning into a “green farm of the future”. This certified organic farm is currently producing 500-600 tons of alfalfa hay annually. The electricity produced by the solar energy system will offset an estimated 55% of the 64,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity needed to irrigate the farm’s crops. The system will also prevent approximately 24,000 pounds of coal from…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/stimulus-funds-e…

Author: Jesse Malcomb
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/astralux-solar-e…

One Fort Collins community is taking full advantage of the substantial group discounts offered by the Astralux Energy Partners Program. Thus far 8 households in this neighborhood have committed to going solar.

Client services representative Osea Nelson helped build this group of solar enthusiasts. “It’s great to see entire communities going solar - we are able to give sizable discounts when we can install several solar systems in one area,” Osea commented, “you see an almost viral mentality - when one home installs a system, others in the neighborhood start to get interested and want to learn more about solar - even if they haven’t considered it before.”

Other solar energy group purchasing programs are offered by 3rd party companies who charge installers for collecting these groups, which means extra costs to cover their fees. Astralux Solar offers the Energy Partners Program directly, so solar customers know they are getting a true discount for gathering their community…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c2/astralux-solar-e…