Link: http://www.vagazette.com/articles/2010/09/04/news/doc4c817252eebe1999173891.txt

John and Elizabeth Hollis installed a nine panel photovoltaic solar roof which was up and producing power in two day. The Hollis family story is a testament to how quickly a solar array can be installed.

When Scott and I installed our eighteen panel solar energy system we were up and running in a week. Solar installations can be simple to install. Check it out for yourself.

After 18 years of dreaming, planning, calculating and saving this home's solar array turned out to be a final gift of love this man gave to his wife. Arnie Garlick spent much of his life planning for his home to be a net zero energy home and lived long enough to see the installation completed. Three weeks later he succumbed to lung cancer.

The solar array will continue to provide energy and be a tangible legacy that his widow Cheri can enjoy for the next twenty five years.

A home that makes all the energy it consumes. It sounds like a fairy tale doesn't it? For one home builder in Tennesee it is the fulfillment of a dream.

James Cowan of Cowan House builders received technical help from the Tennesee Valley Authority for the solar installation. The best part is that James has not recieved an electric bill since February. After spending close to $200 per month on electricity it still surprises him when he opens his bill to find the power company owes him money.

While we love rooftop solar panels, there's an exciting alternative on the way for people who want to convert their home to solar power.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Washington's Tri-Cities, is perfecting thin, flexible photovoltaics that could cover an entire roof like shingles. They're waterproof and last 25 years, just like today's silicon solar panels.

From ScienceDaily:

"There's a lot of wasted space on rooftops that could actually be used to generate power," said Mark Gross, a senior scientist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "Flexible solar panels could easily become integrated into the architecture of commercial buildings and homes. Solar panels have had limited success because they've been difficult and expensive to install."

We at Solar Pie are excited about this research, especially since it's happening right in our home state! The laboratory's goal is to lower the cost of manufacturing solar panels. The project is being funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Via ScienceDaily.