A solar energy collaborative is offering free webinars, including one on May 15, on how to hook your home or business to sun-powered electricity. Solarize, available online at www.solarizeva.org, mentioned that Congress has established a federal income tax credit equal to 30% of covered installation costs for this and coming years. The city of Roanoke offers additional incentives for solar energy.
The process of getting solar energy for your home or business starts with registration and a free assessment. Installers vetted by Solarize, a collaboration of local governments and an energy nonprofit, will provide a proposal.
Volvo, a Swedish automotive company, will be joining other manufacturers in Mexico when it establishes its newly announced truck plant there. Companies like Freightliner, International Truck, and Kenworth already manufacture tens of thousands of trucks a year in Mexico. In March, these manufacturers produced 10,383, 5,679, and 1,560 trucks, respectively, according to a report in SteelOrbis, a steel industry publication. When asked why Volvo did not produce in Mexico sooner, spokesman John Mies mentioned that the company had been focusing on expanding and upgrading existing plants. Now, the company sees the need for additional growth in the region, and Mexico provides the benefits necessary for this expansion. Volvo has not disclosed the location or cost of the proposed plant at this time.