Posted on 04 June 2010
Tags: CSP, Electricity, Energy Independence, ethanol, government, grid, incentive programs, infrastructure, prices, progress, PV, Solar cell, solar energy, solar panels, Solarbuzz Global Price, spain, survey, transmission lines, United States, world economy
Solar energy prices from last 10 to 15 years had declined an average of 4% per year. A lot of progress has been made for increasing the cell’s efficiency, and manufacturing economies of scale are the underlying drivers of this price decrease. The figures in the Solarbuzz Global Price survey clearly show that prices had declined consistently over the last two years.

A solar energy system for home usually cost around $8-10 per Watt. If the government incentive programs exist and coupled with lower prices, secured through volume purchases then installed costs for solar panels can become as low as $3-4 watt, means that 10-12 cents per kilowatt hour can be achieved. If there is no incentive programs then solar energy costs range between 22-40 cents/kWh for very large PV systems. Read the full story
Posted on 03 July 2009
Tags: auto-centric development, Bogota, Bogota bus rapid transit system, BRT projects, bus rapid transit, buses, highways, infrastructure, Los Angeles County, main roads, major sprawling city, mass transit system, Metro Rapid bus system, Orange Line in Los Angeles, oriented development, revised Final Environmental Impact Report, riders, The Metro Orange Line, The stations for Bogota bus rapid transit system, Transmilenio Bus Rapid Transit, unique transit system in the world
The Bogota bus rapid transit system is a fairly unique transit system in the world. It has got most of the same infrastructure that was already constructed for main roads and highways that is why there was no need of any major investment in building new rights of way. The stations for Bogota bus rapid transit system are pretty low cost, but they are highly functional. The main investment that has to be done is in the buses.

Mass transit access to almost every corner of a major sprawling city has been brought by this system. It has also renders its services to create transit oriented development along the major corridors instead of auto-centric development.
If it is required by a major city in the developed or under developed country to quickly develop a mass transit system, but they does not have enough capital to invest in new heavy or light rail, then another option is offered by bus rapid transit.
All around the world there are more than 100 BRT projects that are in operation or in development.
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