We are proud to announce our Sponsorship of Palm Beach County’s first ever Build for the Cure. The home is going to be built as a private residence and show home for the South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The home will be used to raise funds for the Komen South Florida Affiliate, the largest grass roots initiative for finding a cure for breast cancer.

The home which is under construction will be located in the Ibis Country Club Community of Bent Creek. Abundant Energy will be contributing a complete solar energy system to the project used for water heating. There will be a ribbon cutting held on February 25th 2010 from 4:30-6:30pm and the project is expected to be completed by August 15th 2010. For more information about becoming a sponsor, making a donation or just taking at tour check out the website www.buildforthecurepalmbeach.com

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.  The South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has a service area of Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. They partner with many local nonprofit organizations to help raise breast cancer awareness and provide much needed funds to serve our community and save lives. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world’s single largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to curing breast cancer at every stage — from the causes, to the cures, to the pain and anxiety of every moment in between.

Globally our climate depends on a bare minimum carbon rate of 350 parts per million. Each year, the economic growth of the United States, China, India and other developed and developing nations are adding to this number thus fueling the effects of global warming. Getting the attention of policy makers and the public is getting harder and harder.

Here is a (Safe for Work) video that might make some people pay a little closer attention to climate legislation thus adding more benefits to go solar now.

Solar Powered Office Condos

(STUART NEWS) — As the commercial real estate market continues to be soft due to the economy, one business is trying to pull in customers by going green using solar panels.

The Sawgrass Business Center, 1233 SE Indian St., may be the first such building in Martin County to add solar panels to all its leasing units in order to off-set electricity costs and bring in more customers.

“Rather than sit back and wait on the market, we are trying to bring the market to us by providing something that no one else has. That’s solar energy and attractive lease rates,” said Derrick A. Christenson, owner of Christenson Commercial Real Estate.

The business center has 14 units in total with 10 available units for lease going for $14.50 a square foot, gross. The units range from 1,345 to 2,373 a square foot.

Roughly 550 solar panels, which represent just over a 100 kilowatts of solar energy, will start going up next week, said Justin Hoysradt, vice president of sales for Abundant Energy.

“This project is a milestone, said Hoysradt. “For South Florida, there really isn’t any project similar to it or the size.”

Each office unit will have a different amount of solar energy available depending on how big the roof area is above the unit, said Hoysradt.

The average unit will produce 6 to 13 kilowatts of power, equaling $120 to $250 in electricity a month.

“Given the size of these units, the tenants may still have a little bit of a utility bill depending on what they are using electricity-wise,” said Hoysradt. “But, if you make more energy then you’re using, then you will get a credit on your electricity bill from FPL.”

Because most businesses are closed on weekends, the tenants could be receiving a credit on their bill for solar during that time. So if they go over their available solar power and use power from the grid during the week, then they start using up the credit, said Hoysradt.

The money for the project came from investors. Due to multiple units and investors, the grant they collectively qualified for is over $400,000 from the Federal Investment Tax Credit and the Florida Solar Energy Rebate Program.

“When it comes to green, homeowners are catching up on it and business owners are looking into it because people want to do business with green businesses,” said Hoysradt.

I stumbled upon an article the other day that I found very interesting that claims that the cost of nuclear power is actually 10 times the cost percieved in our per kilowatt hour charge. The article was published on April 26, 2006 the 20 year anniversary of the Russion Chernobyl dissaster.

Keep in mind, that the references made to the United States, Department of  Energy and the Yucca Mountain Project are now beyond their time. This year, 2009, President Barack Obama has stopped funding for the nuclear burial yard.

The long and short of it is as such. Solar panels have never exploded contaminating the planet for thousands of years. Military efforts are not made to protect homes or businesses that are powered by solar power for the fear of a terrorist attack. Homes and businesses that are using solar power are not scrutenized by the EPA to ensure they are not contaminating the drinking water aquafers or our oceans on a regular basis.

Though there is one thing that has happened. Our Government has finally recognized that subsidising the cost of solar energy systems will increase it’s popularity and give solar energy a chance at playing fair with the big utilities.

Read this article: The true cost of nuclear energy or download the .PDF