Rise & Shine: September 8, 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
Home Solar Prices Falling, Even as Rebates Shrink
Even as a state rebate is shrinking, the price of residential solar power is dropping, thanks to lower installation costs and a glut in the supply of key components.
Solyndra: Fab 2 Construction Begins
The California CIGS thin-film company breaks ground on its second factory complex, which will be partly financed by the federal $535 million loan.
Why 33% Renewables by 2020 May be Impossible
Southern California Edison’s CEO says the proposal has merit but would require a massive investment over too short a period of time.
NATIONAL NEWS
Let the Sun Shine
With the price of solar panels falling, now may be a good time for consumers to take a look.
First Solar Expected to Produce Twice as Much as Crystalline Competitors in 2009
Leveraging its low-cost thin-film process, U.S.-based First Solar Inc. is set to surpass its crystalline competitors to become the world’s largest producer of photovoltaic (PV) cells in 2009, according to iSuppli Corp.
groSolar Launches Green Benefits Program
Socially responsible companies are offering new forms of benefits to their employees – incentives for carpooling, gym memberships, home-efficiency assistance. Now there’s a new employee benefit that taps into consumers’ rising interest in renewable energy.
Tennessee Solar Farm Project Awaits Federal Approval
The State Building Commission will meet Thursday to decide whether to spend $40 million to buy land for a 1,700-acre industrial park in West Tennessee, an area that would be a cornerstone of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plan to transform Tennessee into a center of the solar energy industry.
First Solar Hosts Chinese National Leadership Delegation
A delegation of senior Chinese government leaders yesterday visited First Solar headquarters in Tempe to learn first-hand how the company’s low-cost solar technology can help contribute to China’s goal of achieving a low-carbon economic future as well as meeting China’s increasing demand for sustainable renewable energy.
SunPower to Supply Casino Group with 14MW Solar Panels
Casino Group will use the panels to install solar power systems ranging from 900 kilowatts to 5 megawatts on rooftops and parking structures on supermarket locations in mainland France and the islands of Mayotte and La Reunion.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Taking a Look at the Chinese Solar Industry
Tight credit, weak demand, excess capacity, bloated inventories and escalating price competition all have hurt China’s export-reliant solar power companies and have left many struggling for their lives during the global recession.
Trade War Looms in Solar Industry
Fair competition or Save the Planet? That could ultimately be at play as China and the West, long at odds over trade in steel, textiles and auto parts, risk being sucked into a row over protectionism in renewable energy equipment such as solar panels.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Renewables Impact on the Grid?
The concerns expressed today regarding the impact of widespread deployment of distributed renewable energy resources, also known as Distributed Generation (DG) on utility operations parallel anxieties expressed by AT&T when the first third-party telephone instrument and the first computer with modem were sought to be attached to their network.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Sen. Barbara Boxer the Force Behind Upcoming Energy Bill
Passage of the bill would represent a defining moment — both for the effort to curb global warming through pollution limits and for Boxer herself as she readies for what could be a tough 2010 re-election bid.
SEIA Member Gives Chu, Schwarzenegger Tour of Clean Energy Economy
Department of Energy loan guarantee will help solar panel manufacturer Solyndra create thousands of jobs
Green the Capitol Initiative Saves Energy, Set a Good Example
The goals of the “Green the Capitol” program, implemented by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, were threefold: to change to more environmentally friendly food service products; to shift to renewable energy sources; and to switch from using coal to natural gas.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Trina Solar Receives $304M Loan
Trina Solar received a loan of $304 million to expand capacity at its east campus location over the next three years.
With Close to $800M, Solyndra Becomes one of the Most Capitalized Startups Ever
As for Solyndra’s ground breaking ceremony, it was a good day for the investors. Baruch called it “one of the most exciting moments” he’s experienced in his years of investing.
TECHNOLOGY
Solarmer Energy Enhances Performance and Efficiency for Organic Photovoltaics
The FlexTech Alliance, focused on developing the electronic display and the flexible, printed electronics industry supply chain, has announced the award of a $450,000 contract to Solarmer Energy to design and synthesize high efficiency donor polymer materials for use in Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs).
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Spain’s Solar-Power Collapse Dims Subsidy Model
Spain’s hopes of becoming a world leader in solar power have collapsed since the Spanish government slammed the brakes on generous subsidies.
Hopes Rise as Legislative Review for Spain’s PV Sector Becomes a Possibility
Optimism that the Spanish government may change the damaging legalisation comes as Zapatero announces that he will review the law “if necessary”.
New Japan Leaders Vow 25% Cut in Emissions
Japan’s incoming prime minister promised Monday to aim for a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 — among the most ambitious cuts proposed by an economic power and significantly more aggressive than the current plan.
Solarfun Signs Letter of Intent With Hohhot City Government for PV Projects of 600MW
Solarfun has signed a letter of intent with the government of Hohhot City, the capital city of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China, to develop two solar projects with an aggregate capacity of 600MW.
Japan Spending 442M to Develop Solar-Powered ‘Super CPU’
A consortium of Japanese companies is developing a CPU for electronics that will use 70 per cent less energy than conventional chips and run on solar energy.
Manz Automation Acquires 100% Interest in Intech Machines
Manz Automation AG, one of the world’s leading technology providers for the photovoltaic and LCD industries is planning to acquire a 100% interest in its subsidiary Intech Machines Co. Ltd.
Scheuten Solar Signs 2MW Contract for Two Italian Projects
Scheuten Solar signs an EPC and Operations & Maintenance contract for two large PV projects in Italy. Italian companies Molino Casillo S.p.A. and Ascoenergy s.r.l. have teamed up as investors for both sustainable energy projects.
Showa Shell to Expand Thin Film Capacity to 1 Gigawatt
Showa Shell has decided to construct its third CIS photovoltaic manufacturing plant in Miyazaki Prefecture, which is planned to start operations in 2011.
Anwell Produces its First Thin Film Solar Panel
Anwell has produced their first amorphous silicon thin film solar panel at their 40MW solar plant in Henan, China.
LDK Solar to Cooperate with Best Solar on Downstream PV Projects
Under terms of the agreement, LDK Solar will supply the solar wafers and Best Solar will manufacture the solar modules.
Australia’s Largest Solar Power System Opened
The 1-megawatt solar power system was installed on six separate buildings and is expected to power around 40% of the Showground’s power needs.
Australia’s First Large-Scale Solar Energ Project in Doubt as Investor Pulls Back
The decision by TRUenergy to write off its entire investment in Solar Systems has placed the development of what would be Australia’s first large-scale solar energy project in doubt, along with ambitious plans for overseas expansion.
Clinton Foundation Signes MoU for 3000Mw Solar Power Plant in Gujarat
The plant will generate 3000 MW with a proposed investment of Rs 50,000 crore.
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