Rise & Shine: July 13, 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
SolarMagic Retrofit of Affordable Housing Project Increases Energy Harvest by 22.6%
The 30-kilowatt solar system sits atop the Oak Street Terrace, a 39-unit affordable housing development specifically designed for low-income seniors in Oakland, CA
Solar Foothold Reaches Beyond the Santa Cruz’s to more Conservative Regions
Solar panels have long been the domain of eco-conscious communities like Santa Cruz and Berkeley. Not anymore.
Green Governing
A new San Diego City Hall would not just be a place to house public employees – it could be a beacon for how ecology and economic development can interact, proponents say.
Riverside Homeless Shelter Gets Solar Power
A Riverside homeless shelter operated by the Path of Life Ministries is the latest building in the city to add solar power.
SRS energy Installs Sole Tile System
SRS Energy has completed one of the first residential installations of the Sole Power Tile system at a residence in Bermuda Dunes, CA.
Tessera Solar Plans 500MW Solar Thermal Power in Riverside County
The project developer wins a bid to co-develop solar thermal power farms on county-owned land in Southern California. It will use Stirling Energy Systems’ SunCatchers for the project.
NATIONAL NEWS
7 Trends That will Dominate the Intersolar Show
The Intersolar conference, being held in downtown San Francisco this week and which will see over 15,000 solar execs meeting, mingling and doing business across 120,000 square feet of space, comes at a unique point in the development of the U.S. solar market: one of major hurdles and massive opportunities.
Albuquerque Mayor Proposes Solar Energy Program
A proposed $5 million city-backed loan program would make solar panels affordable to home and business owners through a combination of federal and state tax credits and loans, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez said Friday.
Push is on to Sell Arizona’s Sunshine
Members of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council head to San Francisco this week hoping to sell Arizona’s sunshine to solar energy companies.
Gov. Brewer Signs Solar Bill, Creates Tax Breaks, Incentives
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Friday night signed into a law a bill that offers new tax breaks and incentives to solar energy firms.
Cash Rebate if You go Solar in Snonomish County
The utility this spring began giving out cash rebates to customers who install solar panels and solar hot water systems at their homes and businesses. Two weeks ago, it began installing 54 solar panels on the rooftop of its downtown Everett headquarters.
Solar Data Needs Standards, Too
An industry group dubbed the SunSpec Alliance will officially launch on Tuesday at the Intersolar North America conference.
E.V. Community Has a Leg Up on Solar Power
When Don and Lorraine Kilner decided to move to the East Valley from San Diego, it didn’t take them long to sign up for a solar photovoltaic system on their new home.
Austin’s Clean Energy Program Costing More, Selling Less
Electric utility chief says separate charge for renewable power may need to be rolled into all users’ bills.
Green Energy Jobs Take Baby Steps in Ohio Economy
That’s where Ohio ranked among all other states in clean energy jobs in 2007, according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Only California, Pennsylvania and Minnesota had more.
Praxair to Supply Gases to Sanyo Plant
SANYO Electric will construct a new plant for the manufacture of solar ingots and wafers in Salem’s Renewable Energy and Technology Park.
A Solar Land Rush
The Department of the Interior’s move last month to accelerate development of large-scale solar power plants on federal land in six Western states could give an edge to companies that have already staked lease claims in 24 new “solar energy study areas.”
Four Bids Submitted for Phoenix Landfill Solar Project
BrightSource Energy Inc., Johnson Controls Inc., Tessera Solar, and the team of US Energy Partners and Munich Energy Partners America submitted applications by the end of June.
Cash Grant Program to Facility Utility Integration of Solar Electric Power
he Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to recognize the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s release of guidance documents for the federal cash grant program for solar electric projects.
SEPA Continues Coverage of Compelling Solar Issues with Release of Monthly webinar Schedule for July-December
From Feed-in Tariffs to PV Variability to Solar Micro Grids, Webinar Topics Address the Most Cutting Edge Utility/Solar Industry Topics.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Energy – It Just Doesn’t Add Up
There is one problem that needs to be solved; “How do we responsibly produce enough electricity to satisfy a technologically advancing society?” Believe it or not, the answer is simpler than you might think.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Can Cleantech Entrepreneurs Rely on Venture Capital?
After a two-quarter period of falling venture capital investments in the cleantech space, the industry is finally picking back up again. But the prospects for early-stage companies and entrepreneurs looking for funding is mixed.
TECHNOLOGY
Maximum Performance thin Film Technology
At Intersolar North America 2009, Schüco is presenting highly efficient thin-film systems combining innovative modules with an intelligent mounting system, integrated inverters, and compatible switching components.
World Efficiency Records for Plastic Solar Technology Broken by Solarmer
Solarmer has achieved 6.77% plastic solar cell efficiency and and 3.9% plastic solar panel efficiency.
A Moore’s Law for Solar
“Think thin,” says Applied’s Charlie Gay. He’s one of the several big guests at Intersolar next week.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Suntech’s Pluto to Power Sydney Theatre Company
Suntech Power will supply solar panels containing new high efficiency Pluto cells to help power Sydney Theatre Company (STC) as one of several initiatives in STC’s Greening the Wharf project.
Solar PV and Feed-in Tariffs
Solar photovoltaic energy reduces emissions both directly and indirectly – and it can make an ideal long-term investment vehicle, according to its advocates.
India: Solar PV Projects: Government Wants Financial Closure by Aug 31
The Centre will provide incentive of 20 per cent capital expenditure during the first 10 years for the units in SEZs. Twenty-five per cent of the capital expenditure in non-SEZ units.
Solar City Heats Up
BENDIGO’S green evolution took a step forward yesterday at a ground-breaking ceremony for the Central Victoria Solar City project.
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