VOLume 23, NO. 5 juNe 2009 sOLartOday.Org

FEATURES

Choosing a
Low-
Carbon
Car

ON THE COVER, the all-electric 2009 Aptera
2e, coming this fall, claims 100-mile-per-charge
range for the three-wheel two-seater. A roof-
mounted solar panel runs the heat pump to keep
the interior comfortable. List price is expected
to be $25,000 to the mid-$40,000s. See “How to
Choose a Low-Carbon Car, 2009,” page 44.
Photo Courtesy of BruCe BenediCt.

26

rene waBLe ventures, a fotowatia ComPany

36

neLson Brooke, BLaCk warrior riverkeePer

next issue:
Gear Up for Your Solar Career
Now is the time to position for the coming boom. Liz
Merry, SOLAR TODAY’s “Ask Ms. Liz” columnist, describes
how to prepare for your dream solar job.

44

ford motor Co.

26 Going for Solar Gigawatts at Utilities

By Jill K. Cliburn

A lot of the benefits of distributed solar systems are on the utility side, but it will take collaboration to assure they get counted and shared between utilities and customers.

28 Smart Grid Increases PV’s Value By Forrest Small and Shannon Graham

31 CASE STUDY | Villa Nueva: An Energy Retrofit for Low-Income Housing By Seth Masia A photovoltaic system is the key to new life for this 1970 San Diego complex.

36 Carbon Regulation: What’s the Most Effective Path? By David G. Hill, Ph. D. For certain, economy-wide emissions reductions, ASES urges Congress to adopt an upstream cap-and-auction system immediately.

40 Solar Water-Heating: A Good Investment for Homes in Cold Climates? By Andrew McNamara, Jeffrey Perlman and Richard Perez, Ph. D. New York study findings suggest lessons to jumpstart northern markets.

44 GET STARTED | How to Choose a Low-Carbon Car, 2009 By Seth Masia For efficient transport, you can now choose hybrid, biodiesel or electric.