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Dear Friends,
Recently Bella Energy is taking big steps
towards our goal of providing communities with solar systems to create a clean
energy economy. Our customers amaze us with their continued commitment to a
better community and cleaner environment by buying more and more kilowatts of
renewable energy.
We established a collaborative relationship between Bella Energy,
Boulder
Housing Partners and VisionSun Designs to fund a large solar system on
a North Boulder affordable housing project. We also had the
pleasure of supporting environmental filmmakers at the Ocean Protection
Society
with their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
We have grown yet again hiring three new employees, good people who will help
Bella Energy develop solutions that evolve as the solar industry grows and we
continue to lead.
In Light,
Jim Welch
President
Bella Energy
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Projects
Bella Energy creates one of America's largest retrofit solar electric systems for a Boulder Housing Partners affordable housing project.
Bella Energy installed a 52.5 kW solar electric systems on an affordable housing site owned by Boulder Housing Partners (BHP), the housing authority serving the city of Boulder. Bella Energy donated labor and materials at cost as part of our mission to create a community completely powered by renewable energy, regardless of economic level.
Diagonal Court Townhouses, at 3265 30th Street in Boulder, consists of five separate buildings with six units each for a total of 30 units with each unit individually metered by the local utility, Xcel Energy.
This pioneer funding for renewable energy on affordable housing was received from the City of Boulder's Housing Fund, the Colorado Governor Energy Office, and a pilot program for multi-unit solar electric systems from Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards Program. Bella Energy worked in conjunction with VisionSun Design to pull together the project.
Solar energy will save BHP over $7800 per a year on its electricity bills at current rates. Every dollar saved for BHP is recycled into more and better housing for its residents.
"It is a model for the future of energy conservation and affordable housing. Much credit goes to Bella Energy and VisionSun Design for their commitment," said Tim Beal, BHP's Director of Housing.
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 Bella knows that helping the World's Oceans Begins at Home with Solar Energy
Bella Energy installed a 22.8 kilowatt solar electric system to power Boulder-based Oceanic Preservation Society, a non-profit organization producing films about the declining state of the oceans.
Oceanic
Preservation Society (OPS) was founded by Louie Psihoyos, a career
National Geographic photographer ad the main contributor to the UN
"Material World Project", and his retired-ballerina wife Viki Psihoyos.
OPS's most recent film explores rising mercury levels in the
world's oceans. Scientists are studying a connection between increasing
CO2 levels and mercury content in the oceans and in our seafood, which
can cause neurological and heart problems.
Louie Psihoyos has
made a personal commitment to use solar electricity to lower his carbon
footprint not only for his studio but also his car, a Zenn electric
car. Says Louis Psihoyos, "Our OPS film team uses a dozen monitors,
editing machines and tons of RAD for data storage. The place literally
throbs with electricity! We tried to set an example to others by
practicing what we preach."
The Bella Energy solar system will
prevent 29 tons of CO2 emissions per year and will produce an estimated
90% of the film studio's energy. "It was an honor for Bella Energy to
work with such an organization. The world will be a better place for
their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and because of the
effects of their powerful film!" said John Shaw of Bella Energy.
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News
 Pardon Our Dust, LA Times BlogHomes sell faster with solar systems.
"With foreclosures rising and home prices diving, there is a bright spot
in California's
residential real estate market: Solar-powered homes are starting to outsell
traditionally electrified new homes in several markets, and developers are
stepping up their use of the technology". Read moreFluorescent Lights' Mercury Poses Dim Threat, National Geographic NewsCFL light bulbs are still the best option
In spite of concerns about mercury used in compact florescent bulbs (CFL's),
the EPA insists that because they require less electricity they help reduce
mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants, the largest source of
human-caused mercury emissions in the U.S. Read
more
A National Solar PV Incentive Needed
Blog by Daniel Simon
Renewable Energy World.Com OnLine PortalWhat
would a national solar energy policy look like and how much would it cost?
"In the coming decade solar could be as transformative, pervasive and
essential to our economy as cell phones were in the '90s and the internet is
today. If we wish to reap the rewards of this new industry we need to invest
now in developing the market. We have already ceded our leadership position to Japan, Germany
and most recently China."
Read
more
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Renewable Legislative News
 At the Colorado State level
Renewable energy policy continues to make headway.
Currently the State legislators are considering two statewide net-metering bills: HB 1160 sponsored by Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, and SB93 sponsored by Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus. Net-metering is compensation for when owners of renewable energy systems generate excess power and send it back to the energy grid.
The new bills would require all Colorado power suppliers, not just Xcel Energy, to compensate net-metering customers at the retail rate, the same rate at which power is sold to the customer.
Contact your state senator (find how to contact yours at Vote Smart). Tell them what you think about statewide net-metering and whether it should be the standard throughout Colorado.
To read HB1160 in full
Vote smart
At the Federal level
Congress is working on extending the solar power tax credit yet again. This time it's attached to a HB 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008, designed "To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation".
Go to Solar Nation to write your legislators and get updates.
To read HB 5351 in full
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Employee Profiles
Gary Resnikoff, Sales
In 1976, Gary moved to Boulder to start Solar Heating Systems, a solar thermal installation company. As VP of Sales and Marketing, Gary helped grow Novan Energy to be one of the largest flat plate solar panel manufacturers in the country.
Gary co-founded his own innovative recruiting firm, Careermag.com, one of the Internet's first job websites, and with his wife, opened a Broomfield used bookstore. It was fun and interesting, but the passion for the solar industry was still there. This year Gary has come full circle back to the solar industry by joining Bella Energy. Gary is a member of both CO Renewable Energy Society and the American Solar Energy Society.
LeAnne Hines, Office Manager
Leanne briefly embarked on a career as a juvenile probation officer,
eventually trying to back to her roots in politics, where some Monkey
Business prevented her from fulfilling her dream of working for Gary
Hart's presidential campaign. LeAnne assisted the Director of
Pharmacology at an international biotech company. She is excited to be
working on the greener side of things again.
LeAnne owns Pack Rat Rescue, helping people to "rejuvenate their
space and reorganize their lives," by getting rid of clutter and
assessing their emotional attachments to their stuff, gently helping
them to reduce their stress levels by getting organized. LeAnne
believes in creatively reusing existing items and is known as the
Recycling Queen, instituting or expanding existing recycling services
at various employers over the years. LeAnne holds a BA degree in
Sociology/Criminology from CU-Boulder.
Jeff Vezzetti, Master Electrician
Jeff's
interest in solar energy first began in 1973 when he cooked his first
hot dog with tin foil. He has been an electrician for over 13 years and
holds a CO Master Electrician's license.
As project manager
for the Marc Electric Corporation and later founding his own Boulder
company, Custom Electric, Jeff set up residential, commercial, and
industrial electrical systems. Jeff has installed thousands of
kilowatts of solar photovoltaics. He provides high-quality, thorough
and detailed electrical installations through ongoing communication
with clients and prides himself in finding creative solutions for
complex projects. |
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