Tiger One being powered by Solar One

The LSU Sports Radio Network pregame radio show, hosted by Jim Hawthorne and live from Tiger One Village for every home game, is powered by South Coast Solar’s mobile solar unit, “Solar One.”

“We are extraordinarily pleased that LSU is showing leadership with its commitment to become a more sustainable university.  While powering Tiger One on Saturday’s with clean renewable energy is a great first step, and we’re excited about potential permanent solar energy installations throughout the campus in the months and years ahead,” says Troy Von Otnott, President of South Coast Solar.

“The unique partnership between South Coast Solar and LSU has allowed us continue to bring forth an exciting pregame atmosphere at Tiger One Village while reducing our carbon footprint,” said Ward Wyatt, general manager of LSU Sports Properties. “We are pleased to announce Tiger One runs on solar power at home games, thanks to the partnership with South Coast Solar.”

Headquartered in New Orleans, South Coast Solar is the premier solar energy company in the southeast. For more information on South Coast Solar or to receive your free solar energy estimate, click here.

The forefront of excitement on gameday, Zatarain’s Tiger One Village features a different band each home game, the live pregame radio show, the ultimate in corporate hospitality, concessions for all tailgaters and a perfect viewing spot for the football team’s walk down Victory Hill and the golden band’s March to Death Valley. For more information on Tiger One and the Zatarain’s Tiger One Village, click here.

On gameday, visit Solar One, South Coast Solar’s mobile unit, located between the PMAC and Tiger Stadium, in Tiger One Village.

SOURCE: lsusports.net

The passage of Senate Bill 91, the Commercial Tax Credit Bill, will provide business owners with a 25% State Tax Credit up to $450,000 per project.  This credit will be in addition to the unlimited 30% Federal Tax Credit and will allow business owners to install large renewable energy systems on their property.  Senate Bill 92 is in general a “fix-it” bill allowing for third party ownership of solar energy systems (think leasing), provides a consumer protection mechanism and removes anti-stacking language with regard to multi-family developers, allowing them to use renewable energy tax credits in addition to new market tax credits and other federal incentives.  And, last but definitely not least, SB 224 authorizes the creation of Sustainable Energy Finance Districts throughout the State of Louisiana.  This very smart public policy legislation will authorize municipalities to issue tax-exempt bonds to create a pool of money for citizens to access 100% of their funding needs for renewable energy and energy efficiency equipment/services.  I urge everyone to contact their representatives and request their support for these important bills.  The passage of all three will ensure that Louisiana stays on the vanguard of the national renewable energy industry.

SB91 - Click to Download.

SB92 - Click to Download.

SB224 - Click to Download.

“We are trying to demystify the use of renewable energy equipment and green building techniques,” Global Green Executive Director Beth Galante said.

The installations were a minor milestone for Global Green, which began construction earlier this year on the second and third of five planned sustainable homes in Holy Cross, ending a year-long delay following the completion of the first house. Beyond that, the installations provided a platform to celebrate the expanding solar industry. Assisting South Coast Solar in the project was Julio Cardoza, a trainee with Delgado Community College’s solar installation course.

Cardoza is interning with South Coast Solar to complete the hands-on portion of the Delgado course, which requires trainees to help complete two on-site jobs, said Steve Shelton, executive director of the Louisiana CleanTech Network, a nonprofit that helped implement the solar installation course at Delgado.

“This is the sixth course we’ve done” in about a year, with similar courses implemented in Lafayette and Monroe, Shelton said. The courses have produced 140 trained solar panel installers in Louisiana and across the country, as about one-third of the trainees come from out of state, he said.

“We’ve been the only solar training course in the South except for one in Florida,” Shelton said, adding that the CleanTech Network is helping set up six courses at community colleges in Texas.

The past year has significantly expanded residents’ options for finding an installer, Shelton said.

“What we’ve found is that we weren’t just training installers; we were training companies,” he said. “When we first started (at Delgado), there were two (solar installation) companies in the state. Now there’s 40.”

Whether the consumer market is ready to employ all these new installers, however, is unclear. Louisiana offers some of the best incentives for solar panels in the country, with a 50 percent state tax credit that falls on top of a 30 percent federal tax credit. That still leaves the average consumer with an upfront cost, for a typical single-family home system, of about $25,000.

For South Coast Solar, upfront costs haven’t slowed business. According to CEO Tucker Crawford, the company has a three-month waiting list.

Of the Delgado training course, Crawford said: “It’s growing the industry.”

Source:  NOLA.com

Micah Galy, a lead solar technician for South Coast Solar, installs solar electric panels on the roof of a Garden District home. (Photo by Frank Aymami)

Officials from New Orleans want incentives similar to those that lured Sylvester Stallone to Louisiana to make his next action feature film offered to the state’s renewable energy industry, which they say could be the next economic blockbuster.

But whether the Legislature, which convenes today in Baton Rouge, has the stomach to offer more tax breaks while making drastic budget cuts remains to be seen.

Backers of House Bill 733, also known as the Louisiana Green Jobs Initiative, say it would attract jobs and build an industry on a “green” foundation — energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass and hydroelectric, and products and services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.

The measure, sponsored by state Rep. Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans, and crafted with the help of New Orleans City Councilwoman Shelley Midura’s office, calls for incentives similar to those available to the movie and theater industry. It proposes tax breaks for infrastructure development and payroll, including a bonus credit for companies that hire graduates of Louisiana vocational training programs.

Proponents say the incentives could go a long way toward positioning a state that has long been an oil and gas hub as an epicenter of an environmentally sustainable growth industry. Louisiana, advocates contend, is well suited to capture and develop opportunities in renewable energy, in some respects even more so than other locales that might on the surface appear to be more obvious choices.

Seung Hong, Midura’s chief of staff, points to the energy potential to be found in the state’s agricultural, solar, wind and water assets, along with the recent proliferation of “demand-side incentives” on the state and local level.

Included among these are the state tax credit that refunds 50 percent of the first $25,000 of the cost of installing residential solar or wind power systems and a new energy-efficiency financing program the City Council ratified this year.

“The goal of this legislation,” Hong said of the Green Jobs Initiative, “is to make sure that all of that demand we’re creating is focused” on helping grow a new economy. “And we’re ahead of the rest of the country on this. It’s not like California is 15 years ahead of us on this. They’re not. We’re in a position where we could actually become a national leader in this new economy.”

Also, despite the budgetary shortfall the state is facing, Hong said the situation “is nowhere near that faced by places like California.”

In Louisiana and New Orleans, officials historically have pursued low-paying and low-mobility jobs, Hong said, and too often have been late to the game in pursuing new industries, such as recent efforts to attract a biotech sector — an industry already well-advanced in other parts of the country and requiring a highly skilled labor pool.

“Green jobs,” by contrast, “are white collar and blue collar jobs,” Hong said, based in areas ranging from research science to solar panel installation, and they tend to pay well.

The starting salary for solar panel installers in the New Orleans area, for example, is between $37,000 and $40,000, said Scott Oman, chief technology officer for solar energy company South Coast Solar.

Advocates believe the green jobs legislation carries appeal for Republicans and Democrats alike. Still, significant challenges remain, perhaps foremost is finding a money source at a time when the state faces serious budgetary constraints.

“Being able to clearly articulate a concrete return on investment may be challenging,” Leger conceded.

Given the state’s financial picture and the bevy of tax breaks proposed for ratification and extension this year, Jim Brandt, president of the nonprofit research organization Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, suggested passage might be unrealistic.

“I just sense that there are so many of them for so many laudable purposes that I don’t see many of them going any place,” Brandt said. “Unless there’s a change in the fiscal outlook, which I don’t think anyone’s expected, it’s just a very difficult year for new tax credits.”

Asked for his thoughts on the green jobs initiative, Don Briggs, Louisiana Oil and Gas Association president, suggested proponents look to expand the definition of green.

In Louisiana, Briggs said, the biggest “green opportunity” to be found is in natural gas.

“It’s the one fuel that we have plenty of,” he said, pointing to the Haynesville Shale find in north Louisiana. “That’s what you have to concentrate on.”

To that end, Briggs is lobbying for another tax incentive program, one that aims to encourage the sale of alternative vehicle fuels, including compressed natural gas. He has called passage of the legislation his organization’s No. 1 priority this legislative session.

Despite the obstacles his bill could face, Leger is adamant the measure is worthy of passage.

“It is imperative that the state make strategic investments to encourage economic investment and growth,” he said.•

Source: New Orleans City Business.com

Retailer Spotlight: South Coast Solar

[Scott Oman, Troy von Otnott & Tucker Crawford]

With state and federal tax incentives, solar panels are more affordable than ever, and since 2008, South Coast Solar has been combining energy-efficient measures with renewable energy for residential and commercial establishments. The business is owned by President Troy Von Otnott, Chief Executive Officer Tucker Crawford and Chief Technology Officer Scott Oman, and with their staff of 15, they run the largest renewable energy company in Louisiana.

What items do you sell?
We sell solar panels, solar hot water
systems and solar pool heating systems.

Where do you get your items?
Our solar electric panels are provided by SunPower in San Jose, Calif. Our solar thermal collectors are from Heliodyne and Enerworks.

What’s the first thing you discuss with a client?
Whether they have adequate south-facing roof space. If they don’t, we look for east- and west-looking space, never the north side of the roof. Then we determine what their energy needs are –– whether they need hot water or more electricity, and then we’ll recommend a number of energy-efficiency measures that they can take to reduce the energy load for the home.

How is your store different and better than a competitor?
We represent the top solar product manufacturers. We have the most experienced installation crews and the longest service warranties and lowest price guarantees.

How has your business evolved or changed since its inception?
We started off with two people, and within 12 months we now employ 15, and we are the largest renewable energy company in Louisiana.

Do you have any specials or sales for March?
We’re offering free wireless monitoring equipment for all solar electric systems.

Source:  myNewOrleans.com

October 20, 2008 (New Orleans, LA)  Today, executives with New Orleans-based South Coast Solar, Louisiana’s leading provider of solar electric panels, solar hot water heaters, and solar pool heating products, announced that the Federal Government has dramatically improved the tax credit for residential solar energy systems. On Friday, October 3, by a vote of 263 to 171, the U.S. House of Representatives passed historic legislation that extends the 30-percent Federal Investment Tax Credit for both residential and commercial solar installations for 8 years. This landmark legislation is part of H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, designed to address the U.S. financial crisis.  It is the most significant federal policy ever enacted for the solar industry.

“Coupled with the fact that on January 1st, 2008, the State of Louisiana initiated one of the most forward-thinking renewable energy rebate programs in the country, providing a 50% tax credit for each renewable energy system for homeowners and multi-family apartments, Louisiana residents now have an historic opportunity to affordably integrate renewable energy systems into their residences” said Troy Von Otnott, President of South Coast Solar.  “The removal of the $2,000 cap on the Federal Investment Tax Credit, in addition to Louisiana’s 50% Tax Credit for residents and multi-family apartment owners, provides Louisiana residents an additional $5,500 in tax credits on a typical $25,000, 3kW residential solar energy system, which produces over 4,000 kilowatt hours annually of clean energy.  Once the resident is reimbursed by federal and state tax credits on their annual tax returns, the final cost of a 3kW solar energy system is $5,000.  An 80% combined tax credit is going to create a great deal of clean and green renewable energy in Louisiana,” said Von Otnott.

“Additionally, with no end in sight for upwardly spiraling fuel costs, worldwide automakers are re-tooling their manufacturing plants to soon offer an extensive lineup of electric cars.  This presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to have a dual impact on carbon emissions from both your home and vehicle with the same solar system.  These important clean energy subsidies help level the playing field for environmentally responsible homeowners who want to address climate change and simultaneously save money at home and, in the near future, on the road”, said Scott Oman, Chief Technology Officer of South Coast Solar.

The utilization of green solar power for homes, businesses and automobiles will enable Louisianans to live, commute, work and play in a more environmentally responsible manner using less utility-generated energy, which for owners will translate into significantly lower energy bills.  South Coast Solar was recently tapped by Brad Pitt’s Make It Right NOLA Foundation to design, install and permit solar electric systems for the six Make it Right houses that have been completed to date.

The Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) provisions will:
· Extend for 8 years the 30-percent tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations;

· Eliminate the $2,000 monetary cap for residential solar electric installations, creating a true 30-percent tax credit (effective for property placed in service after December 31, 2008);

· Eliminate the prohibition on utilities from benefiting from the credit;

· Allow Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) filers, both businesses and individuals, to take the credit;

· Authorizes $800 million for clean energy bonds for renewable energy generating facilities, including solar.

He’s an electric-car-driving environmentalist, a liberal, and an Obama supporter. But unlike fellow Hollywood libs Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, Spike Lee, and Darryl Hannah, Clooney chose not to attend the DNC. He’s all the way over in his other home country of Italy promoting his new film with Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading, but when asked whether he wanted to attend the convention, he replied, “I like watching conventions on television. I think the stars there should be the people who have been elected.”

He wasn’t exactly raving about Obama’s prospects, saying he was optimistic but also worried about the future, and Pitt was similarly tight-lipped. Perhaps, as an article in the Telegraph mused, this was tied to McCain’s comparison of Obama’s fan base to that of a celebrity. (As if McCain would turn away such a passionate, not to mention youthful, following, were he capable of attaining it.)

Georgie boy and his co-star are also philanthropists. Last week, Cloon and Pitt held a fundraising dinner for the charity they co-founded, Not on Our Watch. The organization benefits and raises awareness of the humanitarian crises in Darfur and similar global issues.

Speaking of Brad Pitt, his Make it Right campaign for building sustainable homes in New Orleans has chosen a New Orleans company, South Coast Solar, to supply solar panels for the homes being constructed in the Lower 9th Ward, which was ravaged by the storm three years ago. The solar panels won’t just benefit the environment but will result in lower energy bills for the residents. The first round of solar panels is being put into place right about now.

According to Treehugger, Clooney already donated $300K to Make it Right, with plans to donate more. He’s such a decent fellow that I hardly noticed how completely gorgeous he is.

Source: Plenty The World In Green

Posted By: Butler Ives