SunRun had a fantastic time last weekend at MAKE Magazine’s Bay Area Maker Faire 2010, teaching people about home solar power via our 6 foot tall solar infographic, solar craft projects, Suntech solar panel, and “Unplugging Challenge” competition.  We took a ton of great photos so check them out on our SunRun Facebook Fan page.

To keep with the spirit of energy conservation and sustainability, SunRun also gave away a free home energy audit in a random drawing.  Congratulations, Beth of San Francisco!

Learn more about the festivities on our Maker Faire page on the SunRun website. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and we hope to see you at future solar events!

SunRun is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Awards and the San Francisco Business Times 2010 Green Business Awards!

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award celebrates outstanding business leaders who have created jobs, encouraged innovation, development, and growth in the local economy.  SunRun president Lynn Jurich and CEO Edward Fenster have been selected as one of the top entrepreneurs who have not only demonstrated success in their performance but personal commitment to their community.  The winners will be announced on June 12, 2010.

The San Francisco Business Times Green Business Awards honors the top leaders in clean tech and green business and the winners will be announced on June 9, 2010.

SunRun has given thousands of homeowners across the nation access to clean, home solar electricity, and Lynn and Ed have made sure the company’s commitment to community is not forgotten in SunRun’s growth.  Congratulations to Lynn, Ed, and SunRun for their commitment to sustainability and community!

The 2010 Olympics will kick-off today, February 12th, in Vancouver!  Like everyone else, we’re excited for the winter games to begin – what’s more gripping than watching skeleton racers slide headfirst down a track at 80 mph?   But, we’re even more excited about seeing the Vancouver Olympic Committee’s commitment to sustainability in action.  In an effort to be the greenest Olympics ever, the Committee has pledged to manage “the environmental, social and economic impacts and opportunities of our Games to produce lasting benefits, locally and globally.”

So, what are some of the ways in which the 2010 Olympics have gone clean & green?

• LEED Olympic Villages: The two Olympic athletes’ villages are targeting LEED certification of silver or better for its buildings.  LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides a framework for green building design and construction in energy savings, water efficiency, carbon emissions, indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources.  Vancouver is targeting LEED “Gold” green building certification for the Village’s new buildings and “Platinum” for the Village community center.  The Vancouver village also uses heat captured from the sanitary sewer’s main line to address the village’s heat and water needs, and has streets designed primarily for pedestrians and bicycles.  In addition, the village’s buildings are fitted with solar panels and self-sustaining “green roofs.”
• Electric Zambonis: These electric ice grooming machines are much more environmentally friendly than their gas or propane counterparts.  The initial cost of these electric Zambonis are twice as much as the traditional ice machines, but are cheaper and cleaner to run ($0.25/run versus $3.00/run for propane machines & $4.00/run for gas machines)
• Public Transit: Not only are all Olympic and Paralympic venues accessible by public transportation, but ticket holders have unlimited access to all public transit on the day of their event.  Extra train cars and buses have been added to accommodate the crowds and public parking is not available at any of the game venues.
• Reducing Fleet Emissions: Over one-third of the fleet vehicles are low-emission vehicles (51 are hybrids and 32 have Active Fuel Management).  The hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinox is the official automobile of the Games.
• Offsetters: The Olympic Committee is using “Offsetters,” a BC-based carbon asset management company to offset its emissions and reach its carbon-neutral goal.
• Waste Diversion: The Olympic Committee aims to divert 85 of its Games-time waste from landfill.  To support this goal, Coca-Cola has ensured that 95% of its waste materials will be diverted from landfills and Mcdonald’s has committed to source separation of organics, waste, and recyclables at its Olympic restaurant locations with 90% of its packaging will be made from renewable resources.
• Olympic Torch: 90% of the materials for the Torch were selected for recyclability, its combustion system minimizes greenhouse gas emissions, and even the remaining fuel will be recycled.
• Recycled Medals: Olympic and Paralympic medals contain recycled metals.

The Games are a great opportunity to showcase clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives and Vancouver has done a great job in placing sustainability front and center.  This Olympics, we’re not just going for the gold, we’re going for the green!

On November 18th, the California Academy of Sciences held a lecture called “Meet the Future: A Scientific American Roundtable” with three panelists. The panelists included Barry Gold of the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation, Peter Hartwell of HP, and SunRun’s president and co-founder Lynn Jurich.

The roundtable discussion showcased each person’s world-changing business ideas. Lynn Jurich wowed the audience with the idea that SunRun is offering homeowners sustainable and locked-in electricity prices through solar energy.

Check out this video for a full discussion and highlights from the California Academy of Sciences lecture.
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Power your holiday lights with clean, solar energy!  If you’re not yet a SunRun customer, make going solar a New Year’s resolution and enter next year’s contest.

Happy holidays! Let the festivities begin.

Just a quick reminder that if you’re in San Diego and interested in solar, this is the week!

There’s great information on the Solar Energy Week blog about the Solar Homes Tour scheduled for Saturday October 18^th. You can find out more about Family Solar Day there as well.

The big solar industry conference Solar Power International<– is being held this week at the San Diego Convention Center as well. Public Night at the conference is Wednesday October 15^th, 5:30pm-8:30pm.

SunRun is in booth 1942 – come say hello!

Are you in California and interested in solar for your home? Call us at 877.SUN.MOJO or visit our website to learn more.

The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) is hosting its 4^th annual Solar Energy Week from October 12^th through 18^th. Sunday October 12^th will be Family Solar Energy Day and Saturday October 18^th will be a Solar Homes Tour.  

And, Wednesday October 15^th is Public Night at Solar Power International from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the San Diego Convention Center. If you’re thinking about solar for your home, this is a great event for educational workshops and to meet solar companies. Come by and visit SunRun at booth 1942! http://www.solarpowerconference.com/