Willing to lend a hand at Solar 2013? We need volunteers to help at registration, check badges at the technical sessions and events, and do miscellaneous tasks throughout the conference (Monday through Saturday). Compensation is in the form of discounted registration fees, limited free nights in the conference hotels, free publications, membership in ASES, etc., depending on the number of hours you can work (4 to 20+ hours). We train onsite. If interested, please visit http://goo.gl/iZzzF  and fill in the form. First-come, first-served basis – we have limited spots available so act now. Thank you!

SOLAR TODAY

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

Rethinking Solar Water Heating in an Age of Booming PV
SWH could relieve utility stress about the challenges of integrating so much PV, so fast.
By Jill K. Cliburn and Joe Bourg

Affordable Net-Zero-Energy in Outlying D.C.
By minimizing construction and utility costs, the North Pointe homes in Frederick, Md., offer low-cost living  quite a feat in metro Washington, D.C.
By V. Paul Zanecki

Relieving a Glaring Problem
Proper design and siting of solar energy installations is probably the most effective way to mitigate potentially hazardous glare.
By Clifford K. Ho

Squeezing Utility Bill Savings from Commercial PV
Net metering or power purchase agreement? It depends on the customer and utility, but a study of North Carolina commercial customers finds that selling the PV generation yields the best savings, thanks to onerous net-metering charges.
By Kacey Hoover

Power Forward at SOLAR 2013
The 42^nd ASES National Solar Conference gets down to business in Baltimore, Md., April 16–20.
ASES staff

Innovators
Acting Against Coal
By Seth Masia

Investing
Japan’s Big Leap Forward
By Rona Fried, Ph.D.

The trade
Model Zoning Ordinances for Small Wind Turbines
By Mick Sagrillo

New Products
SOLAR 2013 Products Preview

System Accomplished
Do-It-Yourself Pays Off for UPS
By Seth Masia

READ THIS ISSUE

There are several ways to read the issue online:

Subscribers/ASES members: Log in to your member account here, and click on the “SOLAR TODAY Digital” link in the left sidebar. Or, look for your print copy in the mail.

Read on e-reader: Find this issue soon on iBooks or the Kindle! (additional charges apply)

Not a subscriber or member? Sign up today and don’t miss an issue (print and digital versions available).

Boulder, CO, March 14, 2013 — The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) welcomes Jochen Flasbarth, President, German Federal Environment Agency, and David Wedepohl, Markets & Communications Director of German Solar Industry Association at its annual National Solar Conference, SOLAR 2013, in Baltimore, April 16-20. ASES will explore the German policies and financial incentives that have led to rapid growth in the country’s renewable energy installations, exceeding the expectations of policy analysts and investors around the world.

On Thursday, April 18, Jochen Flasbarth will join Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, in a plenary session on Climate & Resiliency. Other speakers include Alice LeBlanc, former head of the Office of Environment and Climate Change at American International Group (AIG) and Patricia Hoffman of the Department of Energy, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. Behind Germany’s rapid development of renewable energy is a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2020. That goal is linked to producing 35% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and 80% by 2050. German goals also include reduction in fossil fuel imports and sustainable economic growth.

David Wedepohl will speak on “Building the Solar Industry” on Friday, April 19, along with Rhone Resch, head of the Solar Energy Industries Association; Tony Clifford,  CEO of Standard Solar; and Laura Jones, a partner at Hunton & Williams and an expert on tax incentives for renewable energy. Wedepohl will also participate in a panel session that explores which German policies might be appropriate in the United States.

The key driver behind the rapid expansion of renewable energy in Germany has been the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT), a long-term contract guaranteeing revenue for solar producers over a twenty-year time-period. The FIT, which pays more than the retail cost of electricity, has encouraged hundreds of thousands of German farmers and homeowners to earn income by owning grid-tied solar. Germany encourages the development of distributed energy, as opposed to central power production, a policy which has boosted economic development in rural areas and made them into net energy exporters. Because the country has focused on eliminating red tape and cumbersome permitting requirements, the cost of a PV system in Germany is half what it is in the United States. Germany’s solar industry now employs upwards of 300,000 people, more than its auto industry.

About the American Solar Energy Society:

Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation’s leading association of solar professionals and advocates. Our mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. ASES leads national efforts to increase the use of solar energy and other sustainable technologies through the publication of the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, the ASES National Solar Tour – the largest grassroots solar event in the world, and the the ASES National Solar Conference. For more information about ASES and the SOLAR 2013 conference please visit http://www.ases.org/solar2013.

Learn more about the German speakers here.

Contact:
Seth Masia
smasia@ases.org
303.443.3130 x109

Lili Francklyn
lfrancklyn@ases.org
303-443-3130 x 107

“We are very pleased to add top-tier companies such as RDI and Trinity to our extensive list of solar professional partners,” said Robert Prigge, Chief Commercial Officer of Clean Power Finance. “These partnerships demonstrate the attractiveness of Clean Power Finance’s model.  In less than two years, virtually every single major partner of the early residential solar finance providers has left exclusive relationships to be able to work with CPF. Our pending expansion into new markets underscores demand by solar companies for finance products they can brand and market to homeowners.”

The unbranded solar finance products available on the CPF Market™ allow partners to put their brands in front of homeowners. This is especially important in an industry that still relies heavily on referrals for business. Partners also benefit from access to a variety of finance products: product choice helps solar professionals close more deals because they can tailor the financing to an individual homeowner’s needs.

Clean Power Finance manages more than half a billion dollars of project financing on behalf of third-party solar investors. The company provides solar professionals with CPF Tools™, the leading solar sales SaaS application, and connects solar pros with institutional solar finance investors through the CPF Market, the online business-to-business marketplace for distributed solar financing.

Clean Power Finance entered the residential solar financing market in California in April 2011. Since then, the company has expanded into eight other states around the U.S. and now works with up to 80 percent of the top residential solar companies in major solar markets.

About Clean Power Finance

Clean Power Finance is driving the mass-market adoption of residential solar by building the online, business-to-business CPF Market™, which connects the solar industry and the capital markets. The company provides solar professionals, manufacturers and distributors with access to a variety of unbranded residential finance products and easy-to-use solar sales quoting and design tools. For investors and lenders, the company makes it easy to invest in residential solar projects that provide reliable rates of return with managed risk. Founded in 2007, Clean Power Finance is funded by Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers (KPCB), Google Ventures and Claremont Creek Ventures. To learn more about how Clean Power Finance can accelerate the growth of your business, please visit www.cleanpowerfinance.com.

Media Contact:

Alison Mickey

amickey@cleanpowerfinance.com

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Candidates must provide a one paragraph biography and one paragraph explaining their interest in serving on the ASES Board.

We hope to see you in Baltimore! Click here to sign up for the conference and book a room.

SCHEDULE
Half to full-time volunteer, located at ASES national headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Position has a start date of February 11 and runs until May 10, 2013.

SUMMARY
The Assistant Conference Director assists the Conference Director with a wide range of duties related to producing Solar 2013. This position is particularly key in maintaining a constant flow of information between the local, national and technical planning committees and ensuring that accurate reporting regarding financials and logistical tracking is up to date. This position is based at the ASES office in Boulder, CO and reports to the Conference Director.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Conference Program planning, including Plenaries, Forums, and Technical Sessions
• Special Event coordination including lunches, receptions, and the Awards Banquet
• Assisting the Expo Manager with Mapping, Invoicing and Sponsor Fulfillment
• Interfacing with Facilities personnel at the Baltimore Convention Center & Hyatt Regency
• Manage the awards process in conjunction with the Awards Committee
• Support the Technical Divisions and Chapters Caucuse Meetings during the conference
• Assist with the production of the Event Program and Expo Map
• A wide range of other miscellaneous tasks involved in putting on a major national conference

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty well and with a high level of professionalism. It is expected that the individual will have a high level of creativity and understanding of non-profit organizations. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
• Demonstrated project management skill and experience.
• Demonstrated problem solving skill and experience, including the ability to apply independent judgment, discretion and initiative to addressing problems and developing solutions.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Oral communications skill in speaking clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations and in responding to inquiries in a professional manner.
• Skill in interacting and communicating with individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Skill in working collaboratively with others in a team environment.

BUSINESS SKILLS
• Demonstrated mastery of MS Office.
• Demonstrated mastery of Internet tools.
• Demonstrated mastery of effective time-management techniques.
• Capacity to follow up on tasks with minimal direct supervision.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Holds a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with several years experience in project and/or event management in a business or academic environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Knowledge of renewable energy field.
• Prior experience with a nonprofit organization.
• Prior experience with meeting or conference organizing at the national level.
• Website strategy experience and design capability.
• Demonstrated skill in vendor relations ― both written and oral.
• Understanding of facilities and/or A/V needs for a large meeting or conference.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and skill in relationship and partnership building.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Physical requirements are typical of those required for an administrative position. On occasion may need to lift 10-40 pounds. Some travel may be required, depending on volunteer’s availability.

COMPENSATION
Volunteer will qualify for free Full Conference Registration to Solar 2013, travel to and from Baltimore, MD, and hotel accommodations from April 15-21. Excellent performance may qualify individual for future employment opportunities with ASES.

For more information or to submit your resume please contact Brian Allen, Conference Director at ballen@ases.org or (720) 420-7938.

PDF of Job Description