Rise & Shine: October 6, 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
Palm Desert Officials Leave on Solar Trip to Spain
Two Palm Desert officials are off to Europe on Saturday to find out why countries like Germany and Spain are literally light years ahead of the United States in solar energy.
SDG&E Fire Plan Would Cut Service
SDG&E will shut off power in much of the backcountry during conditions of extreme fire danger, a change that might have prevented three of last fall’s wildfires.
San Jose Makes Progress on Mayors Ambitious Green Vision
But there’s still a long way to go, and it remains to be seen whether many of the 10 ambitious can be achieved in the 15-year time frame that Reed mapped out.
Could Coachella Valley Residents Earn Cash from Solar Panels?
There may soon come a time when Coachella Valley residents put solar panels on their roofs and get paid for the excess energy they produce.
Eureka Council May Create Energy Commission
The Eureka City Council will consider Tuesday whether to create an energy commission to advise the council on issues of energy conservation and conversion to greener power sources.
Solar for the People
Launched in San Francisco earlier this year, 1BOG is organizing groups of consumers to collectively purchase solar energy systems. 1BOG is currently in the process of expanding to 11 other cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego and Denver.
SunPower & Agilent Technologies Inaugurate 1MW Solar System
Agilent Technologies Inc. and SunPower Corporation announced that electricity produced by a 1-megawatt solar tracking system at Agilent’s campus will is set to begin the next week.
SunPower Selects Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Following a competitive pitch process, SunPower has selected PR as its new agency for public relations.
National News
Catching Some Rays in Greater Numbers
David Jos makes a beeline to two metal boxes every morning to check the reading on his solar system.
Lightening the Load
SolarCity Inc. and SunRun Inc. have adapted the third-party approach to the residential market.
SBM Solar to Supply 10MW of PV Modules Per Year
SBM Solar plans to sell SolarPower Restoration Systems a minimum of 10 MW of PV modules per annum starting in 2009.
San Benito Completes Model Solar Project
The City of San Benito, Texas, marked the completion of a $325,000 solar-powered array for its new water treatment plant with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today at the facility.
Solar panels to Save City $650,000
Installing solar panels on top of the middle school and public works building will generate at least $649,141 in savings for Newburyport, MA. The $3.6 million solar panel project will be financed and maintained by Colorado-based EyeOn Energy.
Amid Natural Gas Boom, Colorado Town Taps Solar
In Rifle, CO, two solar systems will be installed by SunEdison that will cover a total of 12 acres on the west side of town will run a new wastewater treatment plant.
Utility Industry & Regulatory News
Smart Grid Program Next Step for the Carolinas
Duke Energy Corp. expects to pay $730 million over 20 years in Indiana to install interactive meters and upgrade the power grid.
Entergy Chief Offers Strategy on Emissions
Entergy Corp. in Louisiana is proposing a new strategy for curbing greenhouse gas emissions from electric power plants that would funnel money earned from the sale of credits for emission reductions to poor and middle-class taxpayers.
Removal of Utility Prohibition to have Major Impact on Solar Market
SEPA predicts that utilities will quickly become the largest and one of the most important customers for the solar industry, expanding solar markets beyond analysts? expectations. Access to the federal tax credit will expedite the timeframe and scale to which this happens.
Financial News & Markets
Solar Industry Faces Financial Challenges
In addition to expiring tax credits, the industry grappled with tax equity investors pulling back in the last week. ?Most of the tax-equity players have cut back throughout the industry,? said Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity.
Apollo Solar Raises Millions in Financing
The capital raised will be used to expand manufacturing operations and to dedicate more resources to the marketing of the Apollo Solar product line.
LBBW Finances Green Solar Power Plant
LBBW has provided EUR 12 million in financing to Savvas Zafeiratos & Co. for Greece’s largest solar power plant.
Markets & Market Research
Renewable Energy Price Stability Report Released
According to a study by NREL and Applied Materials, the stable-price characteristic of renewable energy generation offers an important and appealing benefit for many consumers.
Government & Politics
Tax Breaks Big and Small Sweeten Financial Bailout
The renewable energy incentives include an 8-year extension of investment credits for solar energy, as well as breaks for wind, geothermal and other alternative sources.
Will Coal Be Cashing in on the New Tax Credit?
Alternative jet fuel made from liquefied coal is eligible for the first time for a 50-cents-a-gallon tax credit.
Big Oil Gets Big Boost from Congress
Today, the Senate-passed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 is scheduled to hit the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote that will determine the fate of the solar investment tax credit (ITC).
Technology
RoofRay Launches Solar Widget
The widget offers a truncated version of the RoofRay site, and users can draw a solar array on a chosen rooftop via satellite imagery and google maps, and then calculate potential savings and get a quote.
Enphase Offering 15 Year Warranty on Solar Micro-Inverters
Enphase Energy is offering a 15-year standard product warranty and 100% uptime energy production guarantee for its micro-inverters.
Lennox?’s Solar Powered Heat & Cooling System
Lennox unveiled SunSource, the industry’s first integrated solar-assisted residential heating & cooling system, at the Association of Energy Services Professionals Technology Symposium in Long Beach, CA. The system will be available to the public in 2009.
Brite-Strike Tactical Illumination Products, Inc. Receives Solar Product Patent
The product, the first commercial product the company has developed which utilizes LED lighting powered exclusively by small solar panels, will be introduced in 2009.
International News
Carbon Lorraine Signs US $85M Solar Deals
Carbone Lorraine, a producer of graphite materials and solutions, has signed contracts with two major manufacturers in the solar energy industry.
Yingli Green Energy, EN-NEO Augment Sales Contract
EN-NEO has agreed to exercise the option by purchasing the additional 9 MW of PV modules, which are expected to be delivered between February and April 2009.
S. Korea’?s Largest Solar Panel Plant Starts Commercial Operation
Samsung has started commercial operation of its solar panel plant in what the company says is the nation’s largest such facility.
Berlin Aims to Become Solar Powerhouse
Berlin wants to become a world leader in the solar energy field, both as a user of the sun’s rays for energy and as a pioneer in solar technology despite its northern, cloud-covered location, its economy minister said.
Trina Solar Ranked Top 3 in TUV Energy Rating Tests
Trina announced that its monocrystalline PV modules were ranked among the top three PV modules tested based
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