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Californian Solar Pioneer And His Green Business Berkeley-Style
San Francisco CA (SPX) Jul 10, 2008 While sales of solar installations boom in California and the U.S., it wasn't so easy selling a solar hot-water system back in 1976. Gary Gerber, founder of Sun Light and Power in Berkeley, CA had to explain to skeptical potential customers that, yes, indeed, the heat from the sun could heat water. He liked to call attention to the hot hose on the summer lawn to prove his point. 32 years later, the founder of one of the first solar installation companies in California continues to walk the talk, taking steps to make his company as "green" and environmentally-friendly as possible. Along with the environmental benefits derived from the rapid growth in their solar energy installations for homeowners and businesses, the company committed four years ago to use no fossil fuels for their fleet of trucks - so once a month they receive a 500-gallon delivery of biodiesel, stored in a tank and used to fuel their ten trucks, and heat their offices as well. Gary himself has been driving an electric vehicle for the past 7 years - and even his watch is solar powered. Sun Light and Power's office walls are painted with odor-free paint, the front office carpet is 100% wool and their annex walls are constructed from recycled wood from a neighborhood business. Recycled sunroom glass forms their conference room table; the conference room carpet is made of recycled soda-bottles. Virtually all of the office furniture is re-used, coming from sources like the UC-Berkeley salvage building, across the street. Of course, they have a 7-kilowatt solar power system installed on the roof, generating power and selling excess into the PG and E grid. A solar water heater, made from salvaged parts, has been heating all of their office hot water for the past 20+ years. As a recognized pioneer, Gary is 2008 President of CALSEIA - the California Solar Energy Association - using his three decades of knowledge to grow the solar industry for all companies. Beyond that, Gary is a long-time board member of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility, and he also co-founded Build It Green, a non-profit dedicated to promoting healthy, energy- and resource-efficient building practices in California. Not just another solar company. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Sunovia Finalizes LED Lighting And Solar Systems Deal With Kauffman Consulting
Sarasota FL (SPX) Jul 09, 2008Sunovia Energy Technologies has finalized an exclusive partnership with Kauffman Consulting, LLC for the design and development of proprietary, high-efficiency LED based solid-state lighting fixtures and solar lighting systems. |
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