SOLAR TODAY - March 2009

what’s new at solartoday.org

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Clicks for Web Extras

WEEKLY CAREER ADVICE aT SoLar Today.org

> Expanded from “Let the Solar Revolution Begin,” page 24 Basics of photovoltaic cells Exciting research that promises the next generation of solar cells solartoday.org/solarrevolution

> Expanded from “Home Energy Upgrades That Pay,” page 28

See a video

Share your home retrofit experience Extras from author Richard Crume solartoday.org/upgrades

ASK MS. LIZ
Liz Merry

interested in getting into the solar business but don’t know where to start? SOLAR TODAY has

launched an online resource for solar in-

dustry “newbies” that will help readers

on their journey to building a new career

or starting a solar business.

On a weekly basis, solar industry insider

and public speaker Liz Merry will answer

questions and address topics including

how to find a green-collar job, understand-

ing the solar industry, networking and how

to do business in solar. This interactive

column allows readers to submit questions

and offer additional resources and advice.

“Ask Ms. Liz” kicks off with tips on fast-

tracking your solar sales career, based on

observations from false starts and lessons

learned when Merry tackled sales for a

solar water-heating company.

Go to solartoday.org/liz to read this

month’s columns, learn more about the au-

thor and submit a question. And, don’t miss

SOLAR TODAY’s home energy Q&A column

in this issue, “Ask Ken,” page 58.

> Expanded from “Back to the Future,” page 34 View a slide show of the Next West house Hear from photojournalist Dan Bihn solartoday.org/nextwest

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RE PIONEERS Where They are no W Carl Weinberg, Walnut Creek, Calif.

“there was always this perception
that we were just playing around
with this [renewable energy] stuff;
that it wasn’t real. I think, what’s been
demonstrated in the last 15 years or so,
is that it can be real, it can be done,
and it can be significant.

— Carl Weinberg, in reference to the
”
public’s perception about renewables

Carl Weinberg, here on safari in Kenya in 2008, remains an active promoter of renewable energy. He hopes to see the United States receive 20 percent of its power from renew– able sources within the next 20 years.

It’s hard to talk about renewable energy’s progress over the past few decades without hearing the name Carl Weinberg.

As head of research and development

at California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) until 1993, Weinberg was instrumental in developing and promoting a nascent renewable energy industry. Today, Weinberg is still an active promoter of renewables, working as a renewable energy consultant and serving on numerous energy boards and commissions. He recently took time to talk with SOLAR TODAY’s Corey Dahl about what he’s doing now, the growth of the renewable energy industry and the challenges clean energy will have to surmount in the coming years.