Rise & Shine: August 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
Cleantech America Breaks Ground on 5 Megawatt PV System
The solar farm is located in the City of Mendota in CA’s Central Valley and will provide 5MW of emission-free solar electricity to PG&E under a long- term power purchase agreement.
A Rare Peek at Green Energy Economics
California regulators have approved contracts for more than 8,600 megawatts of renewable energy, to be generated mostly by big solar power plants for the state’s largest utilities.
SEPA Commends Southern California Edison
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) commends the announcement today that Southern California Edison and First Solar have agreed to build two large-scale solar power projects in southern California.
NATIONAL NEWS
Ohio Approves Stimulus Loans for Solar Project
The Ohio Controlling Board has given final approval for a $10 million loan as part of the more than $1 billion expansion of a solar panel manufacturing facility near Toledo.
CPS Energy Signs 14 MW Photovoltaic Project Power Purchase Agreement
The project is scheduled to be built just southeast of San Antonio near the intersection of IH 37 and U. S. 181 on a site that will be clearly visible from both highways.
Xunlight Delivers First Shipment o Flexible Solar Modules
This shipment of modules is part of a 10KW solar array to be installed at UT’s Scott Park Campus of Energy and Innovation (SPCEI).
Project Makes Room for Local Solar Company
Plans for the new facility include space to build water heaters and store food-processing equipment.
Clean Energy Scams and What to do About Them
As a clean energy installer, it really infuriates me when I read inflated and bogus marketing claims put forth by obvious scammers. What do you think we, as an industry, should do about this? Why don’t you expose them?
Omega Institute Turns on America’s First Zero-Impact “Living Building”
Alteris Renewables Solar Energy System Provides the “Juice.”
Solar Power International Sells Out Exhibit Floor as 900+ Companies Reserve
Solar Power International recognized by Trade Show Week as one of the “Fastest 50″ trade shows of 2009.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Smart Grid Standards: Road Map a Month Away
The smart grid standards-making process has been one of the most condensed, complex standards work to date, given the rush to quickly deliver a road map before the billions of dollars are allocated from the stimulus package.
Seven Myths About Alternate Energy
As the world looks around anxiously for an alternative to oil, energy sources such as biofuels, solar, and nuclear seem like they could be the magic ticket. They’re not.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Seeks Trial on Global Warming
The business lobby, hoping to fend off potentially sweeping emission limits, wants the EPA to hold a ‘Scopes’-like hearing on the evidence that climate change is man-made.
Fight Climate Change Fast
The U.S. House of Representatives has finally passed climate change legislation, but the national debate on this issue continues to be based on a false assumption: that any major reforms will inevitably take decades to make a serious dent in greenhouse gas pollution.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
As Finance Fees Go Up and Incentives Go Down Solar Becomes More Expensive for Commercial Buyers
With financing costs rising, state incentives dropping and volatile electricity prices, Safeway and other big solar buyers are finding it difficult to make the economics work.
UMC Sets Up Subsidiary to Invest in Solar
United Microelectronics Corporation is to establish a New Business Development Center and a 100% owned subsidiary, UMC New Business Investment Corporation. UMC established the center to capitalize in high growth and high profit potential industries through timely strategic investment.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
China Racing Ahead of American in the Drive to Go Solar
Chinese companies have already played a leading role in pushing down the price of solar panels by almost half over the last year.
Conergy, SolarWorld Seek Protection from Chinese Price Dumping
German solar companies Conergy AG and Solarworld AG want their government and the European Union to discourage renewable energy investors from buying Chinese panels and cells they say receive improper support.
Chip Maker UMC Invests to Move into Solar
Taiwan’s UMC, the world’s No.2 contract chip maker, is following sector leader TSMC by diversifying into solar-related markets as they look for new growth drivers beyond chip foundries.
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