Archive for March, 2011

Solar: Cheaper Than Both Natural Gas And ‘Grid Parity’
March 31st, 2011

Two interesting articles on the economics behind solar PV technology.  First, via CleanTechies, a look at the cost of solar power relative to natural gas and grid parity: It recently became official news that solar power is cheaper than electricity from gas-fired power plants. I asked myself: if natural gas is below grid parity and […]

Read more »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Catching Some (ar)Rays: Solar Parking Structures
March 31st, 2011

Courtesy of Solar Daily, an article on solar parking arrays: “…Envision Solar International has announced that it has been selected by Renewvia Energy to be the exclusive provider of EnvisionTrak Solar Tree structures and CleanCharge Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure for the company’s growing pipeline of high quality solar deployments. The companies are currently approaching completion […]

Read more »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Solar Air Heating
March 31st, 2011

Via Solar Daily, an interesting report on solar air heaters “…Enerconcept Technologies is executing plans for a U.S. market penetration that will make solar air heating available and affordable to commercial, institutional and industrial facilities. The 12-year-old, privately-held firm makes a variety of solar air heaters, including the Lubi, a wall-mounted solar collector with a […]

Read more »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Now, Starter Homes Boast Solar Arrays
March 25th, 2011

Via The New York Times, an interesting article on the economics of solar panels improving enough to become standard features on entry level homes in California: KB Home A model home offered by a builder in Eastvale, Calif. Among the standard features offered for new homes at Manzanita at Paseo del Sol, a KB Home […]

Read more »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Powerful Potential of A Los Angeles Rooftop Economy
March 17th, 2011

Via KCET, commentary on a recent UCLA study examining the powerful potential of a Los Angeles area rooftop economy: “…Close to 1.5 million rooftops throughout Los Angeles County could potentially be doubled as renewable energy generators. That’s according to a report released last week by UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation. The Los Angeles Solar Atlas […]

Read more »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Investor Interest Heats Up In Solar Water Heater Market
March 17th, 2011

Via GigaOm, a report on the increased interest in the solar water heater space: The solar water heater market may not be brand new, but it’s attracting a lot of new comers in recent years as more state and local incentives crop up. Sunnovations, which launched its first water heating system last year, announced Thursday […]

Read more »
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

  |  Next Page »
About This Blog And Its Author
As potential uses for building and parking lot roofspace continue to grow, unique opportunities to understand and profit from this trend will emerge. Roof Options is committed to tracking the evolving uses of roof estate – spanning solar power, rainwater harvesting, wind power, gardens & farms, “cooling” sites, advertising, apiculture, and telecom transmission platforms – to help unlock the nascent, complex, and expanding roofspace asset class.

Educated at Yale University (Bachelor of Arts - History) and Harvard (Master in Public Policy - International Development), Monty Simus has held a lifelong interest in environmental and conservation issues, primarily as they relate to freshwater scarcity, renewable energy, and national park policy. Working from a water-scarce base in Las Vegas with his wife and son, he is the founder of Water Politics, an organization dedicated to the identification and analysis of geopolitical water issues arising from the world’s growing and vast water deficits, and is also a co-founder of SmartMarkets, an eco-preneurial venture that applies web 2.0 technology and online social networking innovations to motivate energy & water conservation. He previously worked for an independent power producer in Central Asia; co-authored an article appearing in the Summer 2010 issue of the Tulane Environmental Law Journal, titled: “The Water Ethic: The Inexorable Birth Of A Certain Alienable Right”; and authored an article appearing in the inaugural issue of Johns Hopkins University's Global Water Magazine in July 2010 titled: “H2Own: The Water Ethic and an Equitable Market for the Exchange of Individual Water Efficiency Credits.”