Rise & Shine: May 19, 2009
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
SolarCraft Achieves Top Industry Certification
SolarCraft announced today that two additional employees, Seth Cooper and Riley Riggs have attained the esteemed NABCEP certification, (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners), for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Installations.
Skyline Solar Plans Fund-Raising, Product Launch in Fall
The startup low-concentrating PV company plans to data from its 27-kilowatt pilot project in Silicon Valley to tweak its final design for launching its first commercial product.
NATIONAL NEWS
Costco Awards 500kW PV System Contract
Solar Power, Inc. has been awarded a contract by Costco to design and install a 500kW AC system at Costco’s Hazlet, New Jersey retail store.
Massachusetts Makes Federal CREBs Available
Federally sponsored Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREB) are available to help municipalities, state agencies and other public entities finance solar, wind and other renewable power projects.
NYSERDA Awards US $1.5M for Renewable Energy Incubator
NYSERDA announced a renewable energy business incubator program that will provide business support to accelerate the successful development of early-stage, clean energy technology companies in Western New York.
Can Solar Follow the iPhone Curve? Not Anytime Soon
The only thing that solar has right now is No. 3: attention.
Suntech to Manufacture Solar Products in USA
Suntech Power Holdings has announced plans to establish solar energy products manufacturing in the U.S.
Utility Starts to Deal with Demand
As part of its two-year project, NStar helps residents of Marshfield purchase solar panels, offers free energy audits and installs “smart” thermostats that the utility can remotely control and rein in air conditioner use.
Solar Panels Power Henkel’s Laundry Labs
The washers and dryers in the laundry laboratories at Henkel’s new North American consumer products headquarters in Scottsdale are now running on solar power.
Stimulus = US and Arizona Growth in Solar Energy and Green Jobs
The impact of President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is now paying dividends in Arizona and other states across the country.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Commerce and Energy Secretaries Agree on Smart Grid Framework
The first set of standards were announced for the interoperability and security of the Smart Grid.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
REC to Raise Capital and Debt
REC has today resolved to strengthen the company’s financial position in order to ensure sufficient financial flexibility going forward. This will be done through; (i) restructuring of existing debt, (ii) adding new credit lines including a bond issue, and (iii) issuing new shares through a fully underwritten rights issue.
Solar Sector Rises on Utility Demand
The solar sector soared in Monday trading.
European Investment Bank Approves E 400M for New Polysilicon Production Project
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a long-term €400 million loan to finance Wacker Chemie AG’s new Nünchritz (Saxony) polysilicon production facility.
Enphase Secures $22.5M in Financing
Enphase Energy has secured $22.5 million in new financing, led by Madrone Capital Partners. This round of funding also includes new investor Bay Partners as well as existing investors Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners and Applied Ventures LLC.
42% Look to Invest in US Renewable Energy This Year
The USA was identified as the country where they were looking to invest in renewables by 42% of respondents – enticed by generous Government subsidies.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Texas Senate Approves RPS Expansion
The Texas Senate has approved S.B.541, which would required an additional 1,500 MW of renewable energy (from solar, geothermal and biomass) in the state by 2020.
Colorado Governor Signs 3 RE Bills
H.B.1312 creates the Renewables for Schools loan program to help schools afford renewable energy projects and electric or hybrid buses. H.B.1126 targets job creation in the solar thermal sector. S.B.124 is designed to help farmers and ranchers participate in the New Energy Economy.
Obama’s Energy Policy Doesn’t Offer Enough Viable Options
The plans include spending large sums on “renewable energy” which seems to mean only solar and wind. The dependability of these sources is such that they are not suitable for core generation.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Phoenix Solar Builds Photovoltaic Power Plant for Utility
Phoenix Solar is currently building a photovoltaic power plant with a 5.8 megawatt peak output on behalf of the Enovos Group in Kenn in the district of Trier-Saarburg, Rhineland-Palatinate.
Suntech to Supply 1MW of Panels to Sunergic
Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. will supply Sunergic SA, one of Switzerland’s leading solar system integrators, with the solar panels for a 1-megawatt solar system for Services Industriels de Geneve (SIG), a Swiss utility.
Suntech Starts First 1MW Rooftop Solar Project in Jiangsu Province
The solar system, which is expected to be completed by October 2009, will be the first one megawatt plus, grid connected solar system installed in Jiangsu Province.
SolarWorld Celebrates Topping-Out for New Solar Wafer Factory
At this site a production facility will be created for photovoltaic wafers according to the most modern standards with a final capacity of half a Gigawatt per year.
Promoting Renewable Energy is Focus of New Agency
The International Renewable Energy Agency was set up this year to lead a global drive to accelerate and expand the development of renewable energy resources.
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