Renewable energy companies, markets and delivery systems are becoming mature. That's good for consumers facing historic high electric, petroleum and natural gas bills, and intense weather patterns and electric outages. Whether its personal gadgets, products for the garden and property, energy systems for the house and business, or larger remote and grid-tied energy generation.

Obviously, I can't name every product and company, but I have highlighted some outstanding innovations, designs and packages for every kind of energy consumer.

Power your iPod - Solio has a nifty solar charger for the iPod that is sleek and novel in shape - works well and matches that iPod style, available in many electronic gadget catalogues.

Solarize any small electronic gadget - Reluminati (DC) has flexible solar panels on specially-designed backpacks and briefcases to charge small electronic devices - both chic and technically quite classy.

Don't let garbage ruin our park or beach visits - Seahorse Power (MA) is now offering solar-powered trash compacters, now operating in Queens, (NYC), Pittsburgh (PA) and Washington, DC. Saves taxpayer money by cutting garbage truck visits or spillage attracting pigeons and rats -- and cuts pollution.

Outages can be an experience of the past - GridPoint (DC) offers the ultimate appliance which incorporates a battery bank, charge controller, inverter and disconnect - with remote diagnostics. Saves days (and money) for installing solar, wind or back-up power systems and the user can go on the web anytime and see their energy performance, money saved, or pollution abated.

Wind energy becomes easier - Southwest Windpower (AZ) has just introduced it's 1.8 kW SkyStream wind turbine with a sleek look, no noise, low wind speed, and it produces AC current - ready to connect directly to the building's circuit breaker box.

Don't forget rivers and waves - Underappreciated, water energy is coming on strong in 2006 - with Verdant Power (VA) installing freeflow hydropower units on pontoons in New York City's East River, while Ocean Power Technologies (NJ) is deploying its electric power generating buoys off the NJ coast and in Hawaii for the US Navy.

Drop and Play options are here with several companies offering cutting edge. Sacred Power (NM) offers solar and wind systems atop metal skids with battery boxes welded to the skid for 2 - 5 kW, Elevated Security (VA) offers solar and wind on small trailers for communications, security and electric power generation, and SkyBuilt Power (VA) has a unique solar and wind system atop standard shipping containers for 5 - 150 kW. Expect to see them all over like we see solar-powered sign boards on roadways.

Water heating and air-conditioning - Solar water heating is cost effective and Solargenix Energy (NC) built a new manufacturing plant for solar units to heat water, and now offers high-temperature solar tied to traditional absorption coolers to air-condition large buildings. SolarRoofs.com (CA) has low cost solar heating panels in different colors to match roofing shingles. And World Water and Power (NJ) is installing solar photovoltaics to power supermarket refrigerators and water pumps from California to New York.

Flexible solar roofing shingles - United Solar Ovonic LLC offers flexible photovoltaics as traditional (non-glass) solar electric panels, peel and stick panels for metal-seamed roofs, and actual roofing shingles in 7 feet+ and 14 feet+ lengths, The product has 20 year warrantees and UL listings.

Light sensitive dyes making solar electricity with colors - nanotechnology has come to solar with Konarka Technologies (MA) having then first pilot manufacturing line - of solar electric dyes atop flexible materials that are being sewn into army tents sporting camouflage colors, and soon on consumer devices.

Virtually, every aspect of our lives in this digitized world needs energy. As we become more digitally dependent (phones, appliances, internet, controls, computers, etc) society, power quality (no surges, swells and transients), power outages, and high energy rates become even more critical to our quality of life. Energy solutions are now available and more are on their way.

The Stella Group, Ltd.. is a strategic marketing and policy firm for clean distributed energy users and companies which include advanced batteries and controls, energy efficiency, fuel cells, heat engines, minigeneration (natural gas), microhydropower, modular biomass, photovoltaics, small wind, and solar thermal (including daylighting, water heating, industrial preheat, building air-conditioning, and electric power generation). The Stella Group, Ltd. blends distributed energy technologies, aggregates financing (including leasing), with a focus on system standardization. Scott Sklar, the Group's founder and president, lives in a solar home in Arlington, Virginia and his coauthored book, A Consumer Guide to Solar Energy, was re-released for its third printing. His Q&A Column appears on the largest clean energy web portal: www.renewableenergyaccess.com. 

Scott Sklar is Chair of the Steering Committee of the Sustainable Energy Coalition and serves on the Boards of Directors of the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, and the Renewable Energy Policy Project.