Rise & Shine: September 16, 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
Governor Signs Order for More Renewable Energy
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order Tuesday mandating that the state Air Resources Board create a regulation requiring that one-third of energy sold by utility companies in the state over the next decade come from renewable sources.
Six San Jose City Facilities Gain Solar Power Systems
A $500,000 community development block grant has funded solar panels for the Alviso Library, Washington Youth Center, Gardner Community Center, Alum Rock Community Center and two fire stations.
Solar Company from Spain Opens in SF
Fotowatio builds and runs large solar installations in Europe and, more recently, the United States. In March, the company bought a local firm, MMA Renewable Ventures, and has decided to use the old MMA office on Montgomery Street as its North American headquarters.
Premier Power Helps the County of San Joaquin Harvest the Sun
The projects will utilize a combination of different solar module technologies, including Suntech crystalline modules, SunPower Powerguard modules and the first U.S. installation of Solyndra modules.
NATIONAL NEWS
Long Eclipsed by the West, Eastern States Angle to Stake Claim in Renewables Push
While no state comes close to Texas for wind-power development or California for solar power, many Eastern states rank among the country’s most aggressive and active developers of renewable energy.
SunRun President Lynn Jurich Named Among Fortune’s 10 Most Powerful Women in Small Business
Jurich, honored for her commitment to green energy growth, is among a roster of 10 women entrepreneurs recognized by Fortune as game changers, ground-breakers and innovators.
SMA America Solar Academy Announces Expanded Curriculum
The SMA Solar Academy has increased its class offerings to include 11 seminars on photovoltaic systems and sales, most of which will qualify for NABCEP (North American Board Certified Energy Practitioners) continuing education credit.
Ausra Plans Two Projects in Australia, One in Middle East
The solar thermal equipment maker, which shifted its business model over the past year, plans to announce solar thermal projects in the next few months.
Canadian Solar Selects Camstar to Improve Product Efficiency
Camstar Systems announced today that Canadian Solar has selected Camstar’s SolarSuite™, configured for the Solar industry on the Camstar Enterprise Platform, to help reduce cell and panel cost per watt and create a more effective manufacturing process environment.
Michigan Still Trailing in Solar Energy Market
Much like was reported earlier this year in a Bay City Times solar series, a new national survey by Global Solar Center says California is still the leader in installations and leaders in incentives include New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Colorado, New York, Texas and Florida.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Duke Energy Customers Protest Proposed Rate Hike
On Tuesday night, Duke Energy customers in Guilford County pleaded their case against the rate hike to Duke Power officials. The company said the proposed rate-hike is due to environmental responsibility that comes with building the company’s newest coal unit called Cliffside.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Global Solar: BIPV Market or Bust
The thin-film solar cell maker says its products have a top efficiency of 15.45 percent, and it is branching out of the “dinosaur glass module” market to get a slice of the building materials market.
Doom and Gloom, an Overreaction
A couple of slower years will give the industry time to shed some of its unprofitable and unsustainable ventures — both technology and business. Meanwhile, the business of creating clean renewable energy and profitable companies that will provide jobs and innovation for years to come will go on — despite the current doom and gloom and despite future booms.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Energy Secretary ‘Optimistic’ but Cautious
Steven Chu is an optimist. The secretary of energy, who won a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1997, believes science can solve many of the nation’s energy challenges.
White House is Prepared to Set First National Limits on Greenhouse Gases
The Obama administration on Tuesday formally proposed new fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, a move that signals the first federal limits on greenhouse-gas pollution.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
SunEdison Increases Revolver
Nord/LB has brought in US Bank to increase the size of its revolving credit for solar developer SunEdison. With the addition of the second bank the revolver has been enlarged from $25M to $37.5M.
TECHNOLOGY
Tailor-Made Connectivity Systems for Renewable Energy
HUBER+SUHNER offers a wide range of tailor-made connectivity systems for solar module manufacturers. These consist of pre-fabricated junction boxes with cables and connectors which are fixed to the rear side of the modules and connect them to the inverter.
Global Solar Efficiency’s CIGS Produciton Material Achieves 15.4% Efficiency
NREL, the nation’s primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development, confirmed 15.45 percent total area efficiency for Global Solar’s production level CIGS material.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Lux to Commence Wafer Production
At the beginning of July, Lux signed an agreement with ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH for the supply of a type SCU400plus DSS (directional solidification system).
Japanese Space Agency Plans to Have Solar Power Systems in Space by 2030
Researchers at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have begun to develop a Space Solar Power System (SSPS) consisting of giant solar collectors in geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometres above the Earth’s surface.
Samsung Takes Steps to Enter the Solar Industry
The Korean company held a ceremony yesterday to mark the opening of its R&D and testing facility for crystalline silicon solar cells.
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