What do you get when you mix chocolate and wine? In the case of Clean Solar, Inc., you get solar. Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, Randy Zechman, is the founder of City Chocolate Fountains (the largest chocolate fountain rental company in the United States). Jeff Ritchey is a San Jose native and wine guru. He is a wine consultant for Pichetti Winery, San Saba winery, and has two of his own labeled wines. Together, they are the co-founders of Clean Solar, a Silicon Valley solar installer and integrator.

Randy Zechman will readily admit that he is a serial entrepreneur. Just over a year ago, with two successful businesses in his portfolio: City Chocolate Fountains and World 2 Do, Inc., Zechman was ready for a new challenge. Zechman and a friend of eight years, Jeff Ritchey, an award-winning winemaker, regularly attended a monthly Bay Area speaker series with a group of friends. After every speaker they would end up at a local restaurant debating the subject matter of that night’s speech, global warming and the health of the earth were often the center of those debates, which resulted in them seeing Al Gore speak at the State of the Valley conference in early 2007.

After seeing Al Gore speak on solutions for protecting our planet, Zechman began to research the solar power industry. Ritchey, while continuing to grow his label, Sensorium Wines, was also showing increased interest in the green movement, realizing that green technology was an ideal fit with his knowledge in geology, winemaking and construction.

Zechman knew that the scientific and construction skill set that Ritchey could bring to the table would be the perfect compliment to his business and marketing skills, which led him to approach Ritchey about starting a solar power company.

Zechman and Ritchey met weekly for 6 months, discussing the in and outs of the business and making sure that their ambitions would not get in the way of their friendship. “We had a heart to heart regarding our friendship versus business. We both believed we could manage both and that our friendship would not get in the way.” says Zechman.

“We’ve been friends for eight years and never thought about getting into business with each other, but this presented the right opportunity. With the market timing, our passion for doing something good, Randy’s sales and marketing experience and my technical and construction abilities, we figured it was a natural fit.” says Ritchey.

Clean Solar Inc. quickly became a reality and is now the Bay Area’s leading solar installation company. The fuel for their business growth is in the form of state rebates through the 10 year, $3.4 billion California Solar Initiative. While silicon is still in short supply, the rebates offer customers a chance to significantly lower the installation cost of a solar power system. Zechman and Ritchey are committed to staying ahead of the curve and being early adopters of new solar technology as it comes on line. “We want the Clean Solar team to stay abreast of the latest advancements in technology, maintain certifications, and educate ourselves in order to provide our customers with the knowledge they need as a solar owner.” says Zechman.

About the Author:

Isaac Riggins is a solar consultant for Clean Solar, Inc. He can be reached at 888-551-7652 or http://www.cleansolar.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Wine and Chocolate Create Solar Power

Looking to buy or rent a green home? These days, lots of green homes are going on the market as sellers and landlords recognise they're in demand. But how is one to know which homes are truly green?

Here's a checklist of features to look out for and questions to ask to determine the green quality of your next home.

Eco Home Tip #7 Location Location Location - pick a location that's convenient and easy to get to. Close to shops, amenities and public transport will reduce the amount of emissions that come from getting around. Inquire about the council's recycling program.

Eco Home Tip #8 Orient yourself with the right orientation - if a house is to have good eco principles, it will designed with the right orientation. This means that the living areas will face due north, to make the most of the winter sun while allowing the hotter summer sun to pass overhead. Sleeping rooms, meanwhile, will be oriented towards to the South to capture cool summer breezes.

Eco Home tip #9 Cosy is not a four letter word - consider how the space is used as much as the size of it. Oversized houses utilises more resources in both construction and maintenance, while smaller dwellings are cleverly conceived can feel quite spacious.

Eco Home Tip #10 Inquire about insulation - ask about the insulation. Higher R values means the house will better protected against extreme weather elements. See if the windows are double glazed. While you're at it, ask about other green home features such as solar panels and solar hot water. Make your message loud and clear!

Eco Home Tip #11 Good green help - there are a few Australian green realtors, such as ecoproperty, who specialise in green listings. Check the Green Pages green directory for real estate agents who will help you find the perfect green home.

The important thing is to ask before you buy. Even if the real estate agent can't tell you upfront, it's important to let the market know that buyers and renters are looking for this bit of information. While no single home will have all of the sustainable features listed, at least you can get a clear picture of what the potential home has to offer.

About the Author:

Visit your leading sustainability directory and news source at www.thegreenpages.com.au

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Checklist for your next green home

The go green movement is another area were the US is going to fall behind. Our laws restrain the necessary development as well as our need for sustainability. Unlike other countries around the world we in the US have not deemed sustainability and conservation as a high priority in our future existence. This being said we are far behind other nations in building long term infrastructures. Don’t get me wrong, I have faith in the US and feel we’ll eventionally make the changes to benefit our race on a global scale we’ll just have to buy it from someone else.    

If you live in California than this search page will help you connect with Contractors
and Retailers in California.
http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/retailers/search-new.php

Outside of California you might want to check out this site that provides a broader nationwide database of certified solar panel installers and retailers. They also offer a great breakdown of cost and tax credits that help you fit your budget.
http://www.getsolar.com/

If you would like to read up on how solar panels work than here are some great sites to check out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell
http://www.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell.htm

Now keep in mind that the solar panel industry has been making huge breakthroughs in the past few years and depending on your homes needs you might not need to put the big bulky pans of yesterday on your roof. New Nanosolar technology is here and we can now add solar panels to just about anything.
http://www.nanosolar.com/

If you’ve found other great resources for solar panels installation and technology please post a comment with the link.

I was up in Big Bear Lake california yesterday and it was really cool to see the city had put solar panels on top of their bus stops. I wonder if they have the bus shelters completely off the grid and what kind of power the two panels put out.