Rise & Shine: August 10, 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
Renewable Energy Projects Could be as Powerful as a Power Plant
More power could be generated from renewable resources inside San Francisco than the power plant in Potrero Hill produces using fossil fuels, but the power supply would be less reliable, a city-funded study determined.
Making Solar Power Affordable and Accessible for Everyone
How much you save immediately with solar depends on your home and how much power you use.
NATIONAL NEWS
Politicians, Energy Leaders Convene in Las Vegas
A high-profile cast of politicians and alternative energy leaders is meeting in Las Vegas to talk about prospects for the fledgling industry.
US Firms Raise the Roof for Onsite Solar Power
An increasing number of multi-nationals are turning towards rooftop solar systems as a cost-effective means of hitting their environmental corporate social responsibility targets.
Spire Solar Systems Expands Focus on the Federal Market
Spire Corporation announced the expansion of Spire Solar Systems towards the federal systems market.
PNM Wants to Expand Solar Capacity
New Mexico’s largest utility wants to nearly triple the amount of electricity that it generates through solar photovoltaic technology, but some in the renewable energy industry are concerned about the plan.
Solar Industry’s Promise Bring Environmental Challenges for Tennessee
As the state tries to reap the benefits of a growing solar industry that could bring thousands of new jobs and billions in new investment, the massive projects also bring with them environmental challenges in the form of intensive manufacturing operations that will draw a tremendous amount of electricity from the state’s power grid used to run sprawling chemical reactors.
Lanny Sinkin Becomes Director of Solar San Antonio
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Lanny_Sinkin_becomes_director_of_Solar_San_Antonio.html
Former director Bill Barker took a job with the city’s office of environmental policy this spring.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Duke Energy to Sign Deal in China
Duke and China Huaneng Group will work on cleaner plants and renewable energy.
Forget Wind Turbines, Or Solar Panels, WE Need to Fund New Power Lines
Lost in the talk of the climate bill, stimulus spending on electric cars, and renewable energy, is the fact that our transmission system is decrepit.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
More Cash for Clunkers, Less Cash for Solar
The $2 billion extension for the cash-for-clunkers car scrappage program comes straight out of the renewable-energy piggy bank. At least one analyst is tsk-tsking, and worried about the near-term outlook for solar power.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
V.C. Showing Renewed Interest in Clean-Tech Firms
As clean-tech investments begin to pick up, there’s more good news on the horizon.
World Bank Approves $130M for Solar Systems in Bangladesh
The World Bank has approved a $130 million IDA credit to Bangladesh, designed to increase access to electricity through installation of affordable Solar Home Systems in rural areas.
TECHNOLOGY
PV Powered to Release New Commercial Inverter
The U.S. designed and manufactured PVP260kW inverter builds on the same architecture, iterative time-dependent modeling, and validation processes used to develop the highly successful PVP75kW and PVP100kW.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
CSI Targets 510 MW of Chinese PV Projects
Canadian Solar has announced a broad strategic cooperation with one of China’s largest power generation companies.
Suntech to Build 100MW PV Power Station in Lianyungang
On August 6, the company entered into the strategic cooperation agreement with the Lianyungang Economic and Technological Development Zone.
India’s Solar Plan Inches Forward
India’s national solar plan would produce 20,000 megawatts of electricity from solar sources, said Farooq Abdullah, India’s federal minister for new and renewable energy.
Downturn Hits India Renewables; Solar Plan by Dec
The global financial crisis is hurting India’s hopes of attracting about $21 billion worth of investments in renewable energy by 2012, but a new solar plan expected to be rolled out by December could provide a boost.
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