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	<title>SolarTown Blog</title>
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	<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog</link>
	<description>SolarTown blogs about solar energy products, solar policy and solar events.</description>
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		<title>Solar Industry Survivors Talk About Going Global at GW Solar Institute</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/04/solar-industry-survivors-talk-about-going-global-at-gw-solar-institute/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/04/solar-industry-survivors-talk-about-going-global-at-gw-solar-institute/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:55:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rural electrification]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar institute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sunpower corporation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1123</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[SolarTown attended the GW Solar Institute’s Fifth Annual Symposium.  The theme of the symposium was “Going Global,” although the panel that we attended was more of a celebration of solar’s arrival on the world stage.  Since the discussion had the feel of preaching to the choir, one solar advocate in the audience suggested that the Institute should have invited a few more skeptics to generate more lively discussion. Representatives of three powerhouses in the solar industry participated in the panel discussion. They represented the survivors in an industry that has seen considerable consolidation—meaning that a lot of companies have lost their shirts betting on solar. Some have sold their solar divisions, others have filed for bankruptcy.  Survivors in the industry shakeout see opportunity. The panelists did not see the recent upheaval in the solar industry as anything “unnatural.” The industry is still at its infancy, and the recent industry shakeout is part of a natural business cycle. Solar still comprises less than 1% of the energy production in the U.S., despite huge growth in the industry. The opportunity lies ahead for those companies that survive.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/04/solar-industry-survivors-talk-about-going-global-at-gw-solar-institute/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Solar 2013 Lights Up Baltimore</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/04/solar-2013-lights-up-baltimore/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/04/solar-2013-lights-up-baltimore/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:10:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[patricia hoffman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar systems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1115</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Solar 2013, Baltimore. Today is the last day of the 42d annual ASES National Solar Conference. The conference may not have drawn the large crowds as in previous years—the field for solar and renewable conferences is getting crowded—but those who attended were treated to a heavy dose of solar policy, feed-in tariffs and installation guidance. One common theme at the conference was to learn from the experience of Germany, which has made tremendous strides that Germany to make solar and renewable a significant part of the energy output.  This has also brought the cost down and between 2006-2012, the installed cost of solar systems in Germany has declined by a whopping 66%. Germany’s goal is to generate 30% of its energy from renewable energy by 2030, and it is well on its way to meet that goal.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/04/solar-2013-lights-up-baltimore/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Spring Forward with Solar Lights and Fountains</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/03/spring-forward-with-solar-lights-and-fountains/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/03/spring-forward-with-solar-lights-and-fountains/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:47:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home solar panel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home solar panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar fountains]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar lamp posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar light]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar lights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panel system]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar powered lights]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1109</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is that time of year again, but you would not know it from the weather outside in Washington, D.C.  It has been cold and breezy, yet the sun is shining and if you have your solar panels out, you have been producing lots of solar energy.  We have just updated our site with a new selection of new home solar panels, so if you are in the market, or just want to compare various options, then please let us know.  If you don’t have the big bucks to shell out for a home solar panel system, then you may want to think about other solar offerings. As soon as the sun comes out, people start thinking solar powered lights and solar fountains. Every year, the solar light options get increasingly better, more efficient, brighter and more attractive. The SolarTown learning section provides an overview of solar powered lights, what applications they can be used for, a brief description of the lights, and how long they will work when operating at a full charge.  Probably the most popular lights are solar path lights, but solar lamp posts are also quite popular.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/03/spring-forward-with-solar-lights-and-fountains/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Drive Right Up…To Your Solar Carport</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/02/drive-right-upto-your-solar-carport-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/02/drive-right-upto-your-solar-carport-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:33:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Home Panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[car ports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renewable electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[residential solar energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[residential solar energy systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar carports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panels]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1099</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[First they were in outer space, then they invaded our homes and businesses, and even our backyards. Now solar panels are getting into our most sacred possessions, right next to our automobiles. Solar panel roofs are providing shade for cars through the U.S. and at the same time these panels are producing a lot of electricity. Solar panels are particularly well-suited for certain applications, and solar carports should be right on top of the list. We could be talking about the Mars Rover, where the next Shell gas station is no closer than 30 million miles away. But here we are talking about solar carports, which are relatively new areas of huge potential for the solar industry.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Obama&#8217;s Second Inaugural: America Will Lead on the Path Towards Sustainable Energy</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/01/obamas-second-inaugural-america-will-lead-on-the-path-towards-sustainable-energy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/01/obamas-second-inaugural-america-will-lead-on-the-path-towards-sustainable-energy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:12:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Policy & Incentives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[44th president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[barack obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[second inaugural address]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable energy sources]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1087</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You may recall that four years ago Obama trumpeted three pillars for his new administration: health care, education and energy. The administration dithered on developing a comprehensive energy policy, leaving it to Congress to bury any chance of moving forward because of partisan wrangling. Possibly Obama learned his lesson on energy and when it came time to advocate for health care reform was much bolder and showed more leadership.  Unfortunately for those who wanted to see a comprehensive energy policy, the chance for an energy policy withered on the trees in the first Obama administration. Two years ago, there was a small window of opportunity to recast renewable energy in the cloak of a jobs initiative, but that effort did not get very far and most believe that there is little appetite to restart the debate—which made Obama’s speech all that more interesting when he laid out a forceful vision on addressing  climate change. Climate change got top billing over foreign affairs and world peace. The Administration is going to have a lot on its plate over the next six months, the critical time to set the agenda and seal the Obama legacy. Will Obama take on Congress not only on immigration reform, gun control, maybe gay rights—and climate change? Many will argue that the train has already left the station on competitiveness in the renewable energy field and we have already lost the competitive edge. It is all that much harder to get the ketchup back into the bottle in a second term presidency.  This is particularly true when you consider the there is no economic imperative to do so: read shale gas. Leading the transition to solar energy and other renewable just does not seem to be a high priority.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2013/01/obamas-second-inaugural-america-will-lead-on-the-path-towards-sustainable-energy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Solar Power 2012: Year in Review Part 2</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/12/solar-power-2012-year-in-review-part-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/12/solar-power-2012-year-in-review-part-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:07:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Home Panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Policy & Incentives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy loan program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy sources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renewable energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar photovoltaics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1074</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The solar energy industry experience a lot of highs and lows during 2012. The biggest development has been the continued growth of solar energy in the United States. As recently reported, if you compare the third quarter of 2012 with the third quarter of 2011, you would see that there was a 44% growth in the amount of solar photovoltaics (PV) installed in the United States. By anyone’s measure that is a huge growth rate. In our first blog post on the solar energy year in review, we discussed the huge price reduction in solar panels, dwindling incentives, and the effect of competing energy sources particularly natural gas on the adoption of solar energy in the U.S. In this blog post, we can’t avoid talking about some of the troubling issues facing the solar energy industry. We will discuss the Department of Energy loan program and tariffs.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/12/solar-power-2012-year-in-review-part-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Solar Power 2012: Year in Review Part 1</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/12/solar-power-2012-year-in-review-part-1/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/12/solar-power-2012-year-in-review-part-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:49:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Home Panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Policy & Incentives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap solar panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grant program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar module]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panel prices]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solyndra]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1066</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We know this much about the solar industry as we approach the end of the year. It was another year of fast moving changes in the industry. The good news is that in 2012, there were a whole lot of solar panels going up on homes and businesses in the U.S. And there were some setbacks for the industry. At the beginning of the year, few had even heard of Solyndra—but by the end of the year, Solyndra had become a household name. As the New Year approaches, we want to reflect back on what 2012 meant for the solar industry.  In our blog, we will discuss some of the highs and lows for the solar industry this past year. In this first of two blog posts, we will reflect on the decrease in the price of solar panels, on the effect of natural gas and coal on the solar industry, and finally on the dwindling incentives available to support solar energy.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/12/solar-power-2012-year-in-review-part-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Solar Gifts from SolarTown: Greening the Holidays</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/11/solar-gifts-from-solartown/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/11/solar-gifts-from-solartown/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eco Friendly Gifts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home solar panel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home solar panel system]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home solar panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar fountains]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar gifts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar lamp post]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar landscape]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar lights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panel system]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar wall]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1053</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you looking for green or eco friendly gifts to give for the holidays? Every year, we at SolarTown are compiling a list of some gifts that you may want to consider.  Take a look at our solar gifts that we are recommending this year in our learning section.The first gift you can give is to educate yourself and your friends about the power of solar energy. My family and I went to the Science Museum in Baltimore over the Thanksgiving weekend. It is easy to forget that the sun is 1.3 million (yes, million) times as large as the Earth. If you open up the sun and dump over a million earths in it, you can begin to imagine that the sun carries a pretty large punch. The challenge is of course how to garner all of that energy. The answer is that we don't need to garner very much of that energy to meet our energy needs; we just have to do it efficiently.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/11/solar-gifts-from-solartown/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Solar Utopia: Islands without Fossil Fuels</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/11/solar-utopia-islands-without-fossil-fuels/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/11/solar-utopia-islands-without-fossil-fuels/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Around the World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[affordable energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Atafu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clean energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy independence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fossil fuels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand Solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar collectors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar programs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1046</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever closed your eyes and wondered what a solar utopia would look like? If you are like me, you would think of sandy beaches, a lot of sun, a healthy native population. Maybe you wouldn’t see solar collectors or solar panels in such obvious places.  You need not dream any more.  The three tiny islands that comprise the New Zealand territory of Tokelau, Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo, have recently achieved something no other place in the world has accomplished: complete and total freedom from fossil fuels. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/11/solar-utopia-islands-without-fossil-fuels/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sandy Won’t Keep Us Down: Solar Products for Natural Disasters and Other Emergencies</title>
		<link>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/10/sandy-wont-keep-us-down-solar-products-for-natural-disasters-and-other-emergencies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/10/sandy-wont-keep-us-down-solar-products-for-natural-disasters-and-other-emergencies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:53:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy Products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emergency kits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emergency preparedness plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Portable Solar Modules]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar modules]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar ovens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar power products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar radios]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Refrigerator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar shower]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.solartown.com/blog/?p=1037</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After every recent emergency or disaster, our customers call and ask us what off grid solutions might help them prepare for the next event, whether it is here in the U.S.or somewhere else. The short answer is that solar energy products can be part of your emergency preparedness plan.  Just ask Haitians who were able to cook their food on solar ovens after the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  Or you might want to talk with relief workers who are able to maintain vaccines in a solar refrigerator in Africa. We are supplying the U.S. armed forces with portable solar modules for power of small equipment in combat zones.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.solartown.com/blog/2012/10/sandy-wont-keep-us-down-solar-products-for-natural-disasters-and-other-emergencies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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