Rise & Shine: June 25, 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
Dinuba Eyes Solar-Powered Farm
Give up 7 acres of land in exchange for a free solar-power farm? One that will save Dinuba $250,000 a year in electricity costs?
Owner of San Jose Company Arrested in Alleged Solar Energy Scam
The owner of a San Jose solar company that advertised a “free solar program” but allegedly delivered nothing to many homeowners was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of theft and fraud.
Akeena Solar, MCC Construction Complete 660-kilowatt Solar Installation for Air National Guard Base
Akeena Solar has completed a 660-kilowatt installation on the California Air National Guard base in Fresno, Calif., home to the 144th Fighter Wing.
Stirling Redesigns SunCatcher, Plans 1.5MW Demo Project
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/stirling-energy-systems-redesigns-suncatcher-plans-for-1.5mw-demo-project/
The solar thermal power developer, which is under contract to deliver electricity to California utilities from gigawatt-size farms, has endured delays and retooled its Stirling dish and engine for commercial launch.
NATIONAL NEWS
Council Seeks More Details About Proposals for New Solar Plant
The Boulder City Council asked for more details about two proposals for a new solar power plant on the dry lake bed in the Eldorado Valley on Tuesday before deciding which it wants to pursue.
Canemah Residents Air concerns Over Solar Panels
A highway solar project would sit in West Linn, but be most visible in Oregon City.
Toledo Mayor Promised a New Solar Plant
Solar energy was the talk in Toledo today where the mayor promised a new solar plant will bring in more than a hundred new jobs and $50 million of investment.
City Council Moving Toward Solar Energy
At Tuesday’s City Council study session in Durango, CO, the council took the first steps toward drafting an ordinance that would set solar-energy standards in the city.
Sustaining the Garden State
With this grant money, cities are implementing solar power projects, wind turbines, rain capture and reuse opportunities, building and operating food gardens, and many education programs that inform the public about how they can be green.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
California Weighs Global Warming Fees on Producers
California air regulators on Thursday will consider leveling the nation’s first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other industries as a way to pay for the state’s landmark greenhouse gas emissions law.
Microsoft Debuts Power Conversion Website
Microsoft Corp on Wednesday unveiled its Hohm website designed to help residential power consumers save money and reduce their environmental impact by conserving energy.
The Future of Home Energy Management Lies with Consumers, Analyst Says
Evidence that the home energy management sector is reaching bubble proportions ratcheted up a notch today with two new entrants into the space: Microsoft and eMeter.
Sacramento Does Clean Power Right
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is setting the green standard for utilities to operate both green and efficiently.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
EPIA Report Claims Solar to be Mainstream in Europe by 2020
Photovoltaic solar electricity is poised to become a significant and competitive supplier to the European electricity market, concludes a comprehensive study conducted by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) with the strategic management consultancy A.T. Kearney.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
U.S. Department of Labor Announces US $500M for Green Job Training
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced five grant competitions this week, totaling US $500 million, to fund projects that prepare workers for green jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.
TECHNOLOGY
Manufacturers of Solar Panels Get Outstanding Results by Using the Sonobond Ultrasonic Photovoltaic Modular System in the Production of Solar Cells
This ultasonic metal welding equipment from Sonobond Ultrasonics creates an ultra-reliable, solid-state metallurgical bond.
AccuStrata: Fixing a Gaping Hole in PV Manufacturing
Whether we’re talking CIGS, CdTe, or a-Si – thin-film solar is a relatively new technology and as a young industry, there are still gaps in its complex manufacturing process.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
HelioSphera Inaugurates Thin Film Manufacturing Plant
HelioSphera (formally known as Next Solar) officially inaugurated its state-of-the-art plant in Tripoli, last week.
Spain and China Sign Agreement to Build the World’s Biggest Silicon Metal Plant in Sichuan
One of the most noteworthy is the agreement to build a PV-grade silicon metal plant in Sichuan (China) which will be “the largest in the world”.
Mass Production Starts on 60MW Oerlikon Line
Auria Solar is the first manufacturer to reach the mass production stage with Oerlikon Solar’s industry leading end-to-end manufacturing technology for high efficiency Micromorph thin film silicon solar PV modules.
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