Rise & Shine: September 17, 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
SolarCract Helps Rohnert Park Go Green
Novato-based SolarCraft announced the completion of a solar electric system at the newly completed Rohnert Park City Center Plaza.
Reed Touts SJ as Hub of Clean Tech
Wearing a dark suit and a bright green tie, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed pitched San Jose as the “world center of clean-tech innovation” to business leaders and venture capitalists at the third annual GoingGreen conference in Sausalito.
Port of San Diego’s Rooftop Solar Panels Celebrated
The sun was shining brightly on the more than 100 solar panels atop the Port of San Diego’s Administration Building annex as officials and Port employees gathered nearby to celebrate the new photovoltaic system on September 16.
US Green Building Council Orange County Chapter Presents Renewable Energy Implementation Now Meeting
Building owners and managers, contractors, architects, engineers and manufacturers have the opportunity to learn how easy and affordable solar and wind power can be to install and operate directly from professionals who have created practical applications.
NATIONAL NEWS
A New Deal for Solar
Until recently, you had to be deep green—and have deep pockets—to put solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of your home. A California company called SunRun is changing that.
Tucson Electric Power to Purchase Output from 30MW of PV Systems
http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPR1668.htm
Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is working with partners to develop two new solar power systems that would rank as the Tucson area’s largest renewable power plants, generating enough clean energy to serve more than 6,000 Tucson homes.
First Solar to Supply 27 Megawatt of Solar Modules to Juwi for U.S. Utility Installations
First Solar has been selected by Colorado-based developer and EPC contractor juwi solar Inc., a subsidiary of juwi Holding AG, to supply solar modules for two U.S. projects.
Vineland Solar One Partnership Dedicates 4.1MW SunPower Solar Power System
When fully built next year, it will be the largest operating solar power system in the state.
Friedman: Make America a Solar Power
The reason that all these other countries are building solar-panel industries today is because most of their governments have put in place the three perquisites for growing a renewable energy industry: 1) any business or homeowner can generate solar energy; 2) if they decide to do so, the power utility has to connect them to the grid; and 3) the utility has to buy the power for a predictable period at a price that is a no-brainer good deal for the family or business putting the solar panels on their rooftop.
Phoenix Solar Extends Framework Deal with KGAL
The agreement calls for the development of solar photovoltaic power plants, through 2012.
Solar Installations Company Meridian Solar Unveils New Texas Office
The company has also hired Matt Haecker, the former director of the solar rebate programme for CPS Energy, to lead the office. Meridian Solar will look to employee design, sales and installation professionals over the next year.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Feed-In Tariffs Go Global: Policy in Practice
Renewable energy feed-in tariffs are growing in popularity as one of the most effective mechanisms of promoting renewable energy development.
San Jose, PG&E Lift Veil on Major Smart Grid Collaboration
Pacific Gas and Electric announced today that it’s partnering with the city of San Jose, Calif., to deploy a major project integrating smart meters provided by the utility with the city’s well-developed solar energy infrastructure.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Greek Solar Power Market on the Rise
The installed capacity of solar energy systems in Greece more than doubled within just seven months by July, according to the Renewable Energy Sources Center.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Attempts to Shape Climate Bill in Full Swing
One highlight of the climate bill passed by the house is requiring electric utilities to produce at least 12 percent of their power from renewable sources such wind and solar energy by 2020, and requiring as much as 8 percent in energy efficiency savings.
Lamar Alexander: Energy ‘Sprawl’ and the Green Economy
The House of Representatives has passed climate legislation that started out as an attempt to reduce carbon emissions. It has morphed into an engine for raising revenues by selling carbon dioxide emission allowances and promoting “renewable” energy.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
An Investment Bet: going Small and Green
Greentech is among several new start-up investment banks filling the vacuum created by the collapse and contraction of many major financial firms.
TECHNOLOGY
AE Introduces European Version of Solaron 500kW Inverter
Operating at 500-kilowatts (kW), the Solaron 500E enables European commercial and utility-scale PV installations to achieve the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) in the industry by increasing energy harvests and by reducing balance-of-system (BoS) and operating and maintenance (O&M) costs, the company said.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Solea Starts Work on 3.8MW PV System
The solar facility, with a power of 3.83-megawatts (MW), covers a ground area of approximately 20 hectares and construction will be divided into four phases.
New Solar Power Policy Coming Soon in Hyderabad
The Central Government is gearing up to launch a new solar power policy, Solar Mission, incorporating a slew of concessions and ‘lot of financial inputs’ for those involved in the manufacture of solar power generation equipment.
Gintech Reaches Average Conversion Rate of 15.9%
Major Taiwan-based polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) solar cell makers have attained a mainstream energy conversion rate of 15.75% and competitors failing to reach the level may have to lower prices to stay in the business, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
A-Power Acquires Evatech to Expand Solar Activities
Chinese wind turbine manufacturer A-Power Energy Generation Systems Ltd. said Wednesday it agreed to buy Japan’s Evatech Co. Ltd. for $49.9 million.
Enertis Solar Wins Contract to Control the Quality of GA Solar’s PV Installations in Italy
The Spanish company Enertis Solar has entered the Italian market thanks to a contract to analyze the efficiency of 12 of GA Solar’s plants in Foggia, Lucera, Sanicandro, Carpino and on the roof of the Lamborgini factory in Bolonia.
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