DOE announced plans to install solar panels and a solar water heater on the roof of the White House Residence, the central building in the White House Complex. These two installations will be part of a DOE demonstration project to show that U.S. solar technologies are available, reliable, and ready for installation in homes throughout the country. The solar photovoltaic system will convert sunlight directly to electricity, while the solar water heater will have a solar collector facing the sun that will heat water for use in the residence. DOE will now begin a competitive procurement process to select the company responsible for the installations. ..cont'd
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Interior Department Approves First Solar Energy Projects on Public Lands
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) approved the first large-scale solar energy plants ever to be built on U.S. public lands. The approval of two developments in California grants the U.S.-based companies behind the projects access to almost 6,800 acres of public lands for 30 years to build and operate solar plants. The approved plants could produce up to 754 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, or enough to power 226,000–566,000 typical U.S. homes. The projects will generate almost 1,000 new jobs.
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http://www.energyvortex.com/pages/headlinedetails.cfm?id=4615