That big splash you just heard was all the almost-out-of-work contractors jumping into the pool of green construction. An article in ENR today noted that Orlando Electric Utility is bidding a 10 MegaWatt solar project and has 27 teams of bidders. That amount of interest surprised everyone. A similar request for proposals last year netted 10 bidders.
Several years ago OEU put photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the Orlando Convention Center at a cost of $7M and production of about 1 MegaWatt. They must be pleased with the PV solar performance to be returning to the table for a much bigger helping.
The article further noted that FPL (Florida’s biggest utility) is also planning some PV solar projects. Though the fact that they stated they can produce electricity for $0.12/kwhr with coal and $0.26/kwhr with PV solar made me wonder.
I’ve recently had several customers ask me about ways to use green solutions to help the environment and save costs. That’s the kind of problem I enjoy solving. An electrical contractor and friend also started pushing that side of his business. This combination of trying to do good and do well appeals to me.
I’m working on several large (1 MegaWatt to 16 MegaWatt) PV solar projects and having great fun with them. I love figuring out the most efficient ways to build and maintain things, so I’m like the proverbial pig in poop. The photo below shows a similar project at The Solar Grove® at Centocor Headquarters in Horsham, PA (a Johnson & Johnson company).
If you find yourself with some available time, learn about the various green technologies. Just go to Google and start searching and reading. Remember, your value in the market depends much more on what you do than what the market does.
Construction Knowledge Blog 
That sucking sound is the rush of people moving from Liberal Arts to “Green Majors”
http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/29/are-green-college-majors-worth-the-hype/
And more green:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/green/2009/12/green_top_10_for_09.html
By: Neal Leininger on December 30, 2009
at 1:50 pm
And I thought that rushing sound was an ear infection! Thanks for clearing that up.
By: nedpelger on December 30, 2009
at 2:02 pm
I’d hate to suggest it’s only the infection 🙂
That reminds me of a favorite story:
A Kansas farm wife called the local phone company to report her telephone failed to ring when her friends called and that on the few occasions when it did ring, her dog always moaned right before the phone rang.
The telephone repairman proceeded to the scene, curious to see this psychic dog or senile lady.
He climbed a telephone pole, hooked in his test set, and dialed the subscribers house. The phone didn’t ring right away, but then the dog moaned and the telephone began to ring. Climbing down from the pole, the telephone repairman found:
1. The dog was tied to the telephone system’s ground wire with a steel chain and collar.
2. The wire connection to the ground rod was loose.
3. The dog was receiving 90 volts of signaling current when the number was called.
4. After a couple of jolts, the dog would start moaning and then urinate.
5. The wet ground would complete the circuit, then causing the phone to ring.
Which demonstrates that some problems CAN be fixed by pissing and moaning.
Just thought you would like to know.
By: Neal Leininger on December 31, 2009
at 1:42 pm
That’s wonderful. I work with a couple of subs who’ve made pissing and moaning an art form. In the future, I’ll check to see if they are completing any circuits.
By: nedpelger on December 31, 2009
at 2:06 pm