Solar Panels Go Svelte

Last Thursday, CNET ran this cool story on solar panels from PowerLight. These panels remove the understandable aesthetic beef about those rather jarring angular solar panels on rooftops. PowerLight makes a SunTile system for your roof that integrates into the roofing surface. For a picture, check here.

The CNET story reports on a developer named Grupe Homes, which is selling homes equipped with PowerLight's SunTiles at a development in Rocklin, Calif. In less than three months, the company has sold 23 of the 30 green homes it has offered for sale. Another developer, Lennar, is planning to build the naton's largest solar community -- 45o homes -- in partnership with PowerLight Corporation and Roseville Electric.

Another promising development on the residential front...

The green issue of Vanity Fair salutes Edward Norton, for helping to forge a partnership between B.P., the progressive energy giant, and Enterprise Community Partners, which is "a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities." It was also founded by Norton's grandfather.

After Norton purchase a solar-powered system for his own home in 2003, he connected B.P. and ECP, which led to the formation of the BP Solar Neighbors program.

From the Solar Neighbors site:
For every system purchased by a celebrity, BP will donate and install one complete system on the home of a low-income family. For celebrities that buy extra large systems (above 6 kW), BP can choose to donate up to one complete system for each additional 6 kW installed for celebrities. So far, 26 systems have been donated through the BP Solar Neighbors program thanks to Ed Begley, Jr., Don Cheadle, Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman, Roland Emmerich, Larry Hagman, Daryl Hannah, Matchbox 20, Edward Norton, Carlos Santana, Alicia Silverstone, and Robin Williams.

So it's a small program so far, but what it lacks in volume, it makes up for in glamour. It makes solar sexy.