Rise & Shine: October 20, 2008
The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar-industry news. Brought to you by Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at SunRun.
CALIFORNIA NEWS
HP Unveils renewable Energy Research Initiatives; Pledges to Double Renewable Power Use by 2012
HP unveiled renewable energy initiatives, research and products to support a new goal to double the company’s global purchases of renewable power from under 4% in 2008 to 8% by 2012.
Solyndra Increases Beta Testing
The company says it has 15 projects being tested globally. Meanwhile, some question whether today’s testing requirements — which some have called “abundant” and others have called “onerous” — really ensure reliability.
Businesses Bank on Solar Power
Organizations that invest in solar are putting a value on things other than purchase price–some of which benefit their bottom line, others that benefit society as a whole.
Oakland’s Green Collar Economy to Get to Work with SolarCity
The city of Oakland is launching the Green Collar Jobs Corps program, which will provide training and employment opportunities for program graduates.
NATIONAL NEWS
Florida Conference Looks at German Solar Experience
As officials in Florida craft a solar incentive program, industry leaders and policy-makers are coming together today to discuss how they can learn from the German experience.
Solon Inaugurates Module Manufacturing Plant in Arizona
Solon’s production facility came on stream today in Tucson, AZ. It will produce crystalline and thin-film solar modules as well as photovoltaic systems for the North American market.
Konarka Technologies Debuts World?s Largest Solar Cell Printing Facility
Konarka has come up with the world?s largest Roll-to-Roll thin film solar manufacturing facility, which can produce enough flexible solar modules to produce a gigawatt of solar electricity per year.
Ralph Izzo Recognized by Solar Industry for His Leadership and Commitment to Increasing Renewable Energy
Ralph Izzo was presented with SEPA?s “Utility CEO of the Year” award for his leadership and business practices that provide a roadmap for growing the role of solar in the nation’s energy mix.
Solar Panels Save Energy, Provide Education for Grand Rapids Public Schools
The roof of the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ food service building will be covered in 42 solar panels intended to save energy and provide a lesson for nearby City Middle-High School students.
Power Plant Gets New Foe
A manufacturers group that has supported construction of coal-fired power plants said Friday that it objects to construction of a coal-fired plant in southwestern Wisconsin because it’s too costly for ratepayers.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Renewable Electricity Dominates California Utility Plans
Over the period 2007 – 2012 the CAISO is planning for increases over existing capacity of wind (187%), utility scale PV (2032%), concentrating solar (203%), geothermal (68%), and biomass (28%).
Utilities to Hit Solar Scene
Earlier this month, utilities became eligible to participate in federal renewable-energy tax credits. Solar companies at the Solar Power International conference consider how this could impact them.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Winds Shift for Renewable Energy as Oil Prices Sink
With banks reluctant to lend and their stock prices tumbling, many green-energy concerns are struggling to find the long-term funding they need to expand in a capital-intensive industry.
United Solar Improves Productivity and Profits in 2008
Uni-Solar will boost production from 118 MW to 238 MW by the end of 2009 and to 1 GW by the end of its 2010. ECD forecasts total 2009 revenues as $485M, with Uni-Solar providing up to $450M.
Experts Say Renewable Energy Key to Economic Recovery
As world leaders scramble to find ways to rebuild confidence in the global economy, many analysts say that now is the best opportunity to implement renewable energy to drive economic recovery.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Extreme Approaches toward Living a Green Life
Porter Novelli conducted a poll of 12,000 people, examining their commitment to various environmental practices. 7% earned the top designation, dark green.
TECHNOLOGY
New Solar Energy Material Captures Every Color of the Rainbow
Researchers have created a new material that overcomes two of the major obstacles to solar power: it absorbs all the energy contained in sunlight, and generates electrons in a way that makes them easier to capture.
Researcher Aims to Bring Back Oysters With Solar Power
The Electric Oyster Reef Project? makes use of metal helix-shaped spirals that rise out of water. Connecting these spirals with solar panels and then planting them in shallow water generates an electrical current.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Kenmos Photovoltaic’s 45W Thin Film Module
In the next 3 years, the Taiwan-based company plans to expand capacity for silicon thin-film modules to 60 MW in 2010 and 200 MW in 2011.
Chinese Solar Companies on the up
Although Q-cells still heads the table and First Solar is still the leading thin film company, the Chinese will be claiming more and more top-10 positions.
Francophonie to Cut CO2 Emissions in Half by 2050
70 French-speaking nations and regional governments pledged to help cut global greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, at the close of the 12th Francophonie summit on Sunday.
LDK Solar Signs 7 Year Wafer Supply Contract
LDK today announced that it has signed a seven-year contract to supply multicrystalline solar wafers to Italy-based Helios Technology.
Electric Industry to Boost Non-Fossil Energy Share to 50% by 2020
The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan announced its goal to increase the use of non-fossil energy, including nuclear, from the current level of about 40% to 50% by fiscal 2020.
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[...] Rise %26 Shine: October 20, 2008 Solon Inaugurates Module Manufacturing Plant in Arizona Solon’s production facility came on stream today in Tucson, AZ. It will produce crystalline and thin-film solar modules as well as photovoltaic systems for the North American … [...]