October 2016 Newsletter
Last month,  SunHarvest Solar founder and owner Brandon Cheshire made his way to the Las Vegas strip. Not for the lights and nightlife, but for the sun. Brandon joined other solar leaders from around the country for the 2016 Top Solar Contractors Gala. This is the third year in a row SunHarvest has accepted an award from Solar Power World. 

It has been incredible to be honored as one of the top solar contractors in the country for the past three years. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our team and our amazing customers for making all of this possible. We will continue to provide our community and customers with our Better Business Bureau's A+ rated service for many years to come.

Every year the Top 500 Solar Contractors List is developed by Solar Power World to recognize the work completed by solar contractors across the U.S. and Canada. We look forward to continued growth in Arizona and New Mexico. But most importantly, to continually be mentioned on that list at a higher ranking every single year!


From the Blog: Gadgets every solar fanatic should have   

Solar can do so much more than just power your home. There are all sorts of gadgets out there that every solar fanatic should have in their arsenal. Whether you're hanging out by the pool, on a camping trip in the mountains, or just love collecting cutting-edge stuff, these solar innovations will help you take a step into a green - and really cool - future:


 
HeLi-On Charger - Portable solar chargers are nothing new, but this one is refreshingly different. With a rollout solar panel, this charger is compact and lightweight. It gives you the option of charging your device directly, or you can charge the HeLi-On's internal battery and charge your device at a later time. You can pre-order yours from the company's Kickstarter page. 

Read the whole blog post and others like it by clicking here.

Zen park on PARK(ing) Day

Sept. 16 was the eighth annual PARK(ing) Day. It's a day when in cities around the globe, artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces. 

PARK(ing) Day's goal is to challenge people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure.

Our very own Heidi Honesty created this amazing Zen Park. Complete with two zen gardens, the idea was for people walking down the street to stop by, sit down and reflect. 

Arizona News


Apple's secret solar plant in Arizona could power 12,500 homes

Apple Inc. has built a 300-acre solar power plant in Florence to make up for the electricity used in its Mesa data center, and Salt River Project finally released details of the secretive project Tuesday.

Apple wants its customers to know that when they ask the Siri app on their phones for directions, they aren't contributing to global climate change. The company has a goal of generating enough clean energy from multiple facilities to compensate for the power its global factories and other operations draw from the power grid.

Apple said in 2015 when it announced its command center project in Mesa that it would run the facility with solar power, but until now, the Cupertino, Calif.-based iPhone maker hasn't provided any details of how it would accomplish that.
 


No internet, no power, no problem: ASU solar library empowers schools abroad

Laura Hosman is an assistant professor who began a joint appointment in ASU's Ira A. F ulton Schools of Engineering and the School for the Future of Innovation in Society this semester.

Her innovative device, the Solar Powered Educational Learning Library, known as SolarSPELL, is a digital library full of educational resources that generates its own Wi-Fi signal and solar power. All that is needed to access the information is an internet-capable device, such as an iPad, laptop or smartphone. Basically, it's a self-powered plug-and-play kit, portable enough to fit into a backpack.

The plastic case containing the technical components is waterproof and weatherproof, and it is covered with a compact solar panel.


World News

A solar project worth watching Morocco 

The rugged landscape around Ouarzazate, a city in south-central Morocco on the edge of the vast Sahara, is known to some as a filming location for movies such as "Lawrence of Arabia" and television shows like "Game of Thrones." Now, the sparsely populated area is getting attention for something else: solar power.

The first phase of a $9 billion solar-power project that has been under construction since 2013 opened earlier this year, making use of vast arrays of mirrors, rather than the more widely used photovoltaic panels, to produce electricity from sunlight.

When it is finished in 2018, the Noor Solar Power station will cover more than 5,000 acres and have a generating capacity of 580 megawatts, enough to meet the electricity needs of 1.1 million Moroccans, according to the World Bank, which is helping to fund the project. It will be one of the largest solar power plants in the world, rivaling BHE Renewables Solar Star project in Southern California, which claims a capacity of 586 megawatts.

Read more


Green-powered boat prepares for round-the-world voyage

Dubbed the "Solar Impulse of the seas", the first boat to be powered solely by renewable energies and hydrogen hopes to make its own historic trip around the world.

A water-borne answer to the Solar Impulse -  the plane that completed its round-the-globe trip using only solar energy in July - the  Energy Observer will be powered by the sun, the wind and self-generated hydrogen when it sets sail in February as scheduled.

The multi-hulled catamaran is in a shipyard at Saint Malo on France's west coast, awaiting the installation of solar panels, wind turbines and electrolysis equipment, which breaks down water to produce its component elements, hydrogen and oxygen.

Read more
 
  
Energy Tips for October

Let these tips save you some dough!

  • Adjust your temp 
Can you feel it? The mornings are crisp and beautiful. The evenings are cooling down. Though it can still be warm during the day, it's important to remember to adjust your thermostat accordingly.   
  • Seal it up
Windows, doors, even your refrigerator door all need to be sealed. When there is not a complete seal, energy is wasted. You'd be amazed at how much money that will save you in the long run.  
"Pay it Forward"
Earn $500 for Every Customer Referred

Share the benefits of clean solar energy to help protect the environment, build a more sustainable future, and save homeowners money by our initiative to "Pay it Forward". When you refer SunHarvest Solar to another customer, whether it be friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers, you can earn $500 per referral.  Learn how to pay it forward!

Power the Positive
Our Charity Initiative

A $250 charitable donation will now be made for every solar system sold by SunHarvest Solar! By going solar with SunHarvest, you can score a triple-win for yourself. One for you,  one for the planet, and one for a non-profit organization that you choose from our list of selected charities.

If you are part of a nonprofit organization, or know of one that may be a good fit, please contact Gary Held to find out how to participate in our program and truly  power the positive !
As one of the top solar energy companies in Arizona, SunHarvest Solar takes pride in helping residents convert to a greener and cheaper source of energy - the sun! 

Did you know that we are a l ocal , independent, sustainable  solar  contractor? When you support us, you help support your local economy. We are proud members of Local First Arizona.

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