Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are some of the safest types of ways to generate electricity. Once installed, there are few (if any) moving parts, no need for extracting fossil fuels from the earth, no danger of meltdowns or spills…the array just sits there soaking up the sun. As with any type of electrical system, though, there is always the danger of dealing with high voltage going somewhere it wasn’t intended.
The biggest risk for PV is a ground fault, which under certain circumstances could potentially start a fire. It is, however, extremely rare. A 2010 study by the National Fire Prevention Association found only a handful of incidents over more than 30 years (more…)
Over the last few weeks, a lot of attention in the solar world has been on CASM (aka the Coalition of American Solar Manufacturers). This group, led by SolarWorld and six other anonymous companies, is employing a dangerous strategy by using a lawsuit to slow down the amount solar being imported from China. We at Southern Energy Management do not support this action. In fact, SEM has joined a growing list of more than 100 industry leaders as part of the newly-formed 
Earlier this week, North Carolina was in the national spotlight as President Barack Obama visited the Triangle to talk about strategies to accelerate job growth (with a heavy dose of clean energy!). I was honored to be part of the 
Lately I have heard and read in the media a general questioning of the need for renewable energy subsidies. Many of these critiques come at this conversation from a pro “free market” perspective. While I agree with many on the value of the free market, I’m often amazed by how little understood the energy market is. The world energy markets and the US energy markets are anything but free: energy is one of the most anti-competitive, regulated and subsidized markets around. Given the current dialogue, I got to thinking it could be worthwhile to 
North Carolina is about to have an incredible opportunity; the kind that doesn’t come along all that often and takes a lot of hard work to create. This week, a bi-partisan bill is going to be introduced in the General Assembly that would double the amount of solar energy the state produces. The Solar Jobs Bill already has support from both parties in both the House and Senate, and those of us in the solar industry stand behind it 100 percent. As things stand right now, utilities are required to use solar or other renewable energy to provide 0.2 percent of their total sales. The new law would bring the solar set-aside to 0.4 percent. That two-tenths of one percent jump may not sound like much, but the impact simply cannot be overstated. This gives North Carolina the chance to take a huge step forward as clean energy leaders, not just in the Southeast, but on a national level. 
I’m in Virginia right now, where Southern Energy Management is exhibiting at the third annual 
Since joining the SEM team last April, I’ve had a non-stop crash course in sustainability and solar jargon. One thing I learned quickly is that just like many industries, there are countless terms, acronyms and other types of jargon that building science and solar experts use on a daily basis. I certainly don’t claim to be one of those experts, but over the last eight months I’ve gotten a handle on a lot of the terminology and can carry an intelligent conversation with 
