Rise & Shine: October 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
Cupertino Electric Completes PV System for Software Company, SAP
Cupertino Electric, Inc. (CEI) has completed construction of the first solar array in the Americas for business software leader SAP. The solar array, installed in Palo Alto, Calif., represents a component of SAP’s effort to further increase its sustainability.
Board of Supervisors Approves Installation of Two PV Systems
As a result of a unanimous vote by the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors, Solar Power Inc has been selected to design and install photovoltaic solar systems on two of the County’s buildings.
Enphase Ships 100,000th Solar Microinverter
Enphase Energy shipped the 100,000th unit of its micro-inverter in September 2009, reaching this remarkable milestone just over a year after the product’s launch in July 2008.
Santa Cruz County to Join state Program to Provide Solar Loans to Homeowners
Santa Cruz County leaders see new light for a struggling effort to make solar panels more affordable for thousands of local homeowners.
Cleantech Counterpoint: How California Can Learn from Spain’s Clean Power Folly
Renewable energy has for years been hailed as the predominant solution to California’s energy dilemma, a sentiment that more recently has been supported by public policy as well.
California Debates Over Energy Origins
California, the state that led the country in establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard, is moving toward upping its RPS to 33 percent—but how it will get there is yet to be determined.
Solar Companies Pair with Finance Players to Jumpstart Projects
Foster City-based SolarCity Corp., San Jose’s SunWize Technologies Inc. and SunPower Corp. have all forged alliances with big financial players to offer lease options and bridge loans to businesses and residents.
NATIONAL NEWS
20 Solar Homes Take Share on the National Mall for the Solar Decathalon
The assembly of 20 solar homes on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is rapidly approaching completion, as the 2009 Solar Decathlon prepares to open, free to the public, on October 9th.
City of Durango Looking to Complete Solar System
The city has terminated its contract with a Golden solar installer for failing to finish a project at the Durango Community Recreation Center. City Manager Ron LeBlanc said the city will find a local contractor within two weeks to finish the project.
FPL Prepares to Power up 25MW Solar PV System
Florida Power & Light Company expects the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Arcadia, Fla., to begin delivering electricity to customers later this month – ahead of schedule.
Constellation Energy to Construct Solar Power System at Patriot Place
Constellation Energy will construct a photovoltaic power system that will generate approximately 525 kilowatts of clean, renewable solar power at Patriot Place, the 1.3-million-square-foot entertainment, retail and dining destination adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Google and the Energy Detective Join Forces
That device, which allows consumers to monitor their home energy use in real time, has been modified to upload its data via the Internet, where it interacts with Google’s PowerMeter — a free, Web-based program that visualizes power usage via charts and graphs.
Solar Energy Contributing to Lower Carbon Emissions
According to the Energy Information Administration, fossil fuel based emissions are set to fall by 5.9 percent for 2008, largely due to less economic activity and demand because of the recession.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Opportunities and Risks in the Italian PV Markets
With the introduction of an amended feed-in tariff rule, Italy has succeeded in engendering a huge surge in PV activity in the country. However, there are still a number of potential pitfalls.
US Companies Upbeat on China Despite Concerns
Most U.S. companies doing business in China are profitable many want to step up investments despite fears on the economy, protectionism and intellectual property rights, a survey showed on Oct. 7.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Feds Budgets $750M for ‘Conventional’ Renewable Energy Generation
The new loan guarantee program will support as much as $8 billion in loans for power plants using more mature solar, wind and other technologies.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
French Agency Loans 120M Euros for South African Renewable Energy
South African banks Absa, Nedbank and the Industrial Development Corporation are to distribute the credit as loan capital for the projects of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
Solar Europe Initiative Funding: Positive but Incomplete Way Forward
Communication on the financing of low carbon technologies: the European Commission positively recognises the strong potential of solar photovoltaic technology but does not sufficiently reflect industry R&D and demonstration priorities; furthermore, significant uncertainty remains on the financing model.
TECHNOLOGY
REC Solar Panels Perform Better than Those of Other European and Chinese Manufacturers
After a year of testing, the Fraunhofer Institute has concluded that PV solar panels produced by the Norwegian manufacturer, REC, outperform those of other European and Chinese manufacturers.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
KSK Surya Photovoltaic Venture to Build 150MW Thin Film Manufacturing Plant
KSK Surya Photovoltaic Venture, Private Limited (KSK), a subsidiary of KSK Power Ventur plc, a leading independent power provider in India, has signed a contract with Applied Materials, Inc. to purchase two Applied SunFab™ Thin Film Lines for manufacturing high-power output 5.7m2 solar panels.
EU New Solar Plan FallsShort, Says Industry Group
The European Commission releases a new technology plan to curb carbon emissions, and includes a Smart Cities Initiative for the first time to promote energy efficiency measures.
Enfinity Signs Major Chinese Agreements with China Guangdon Nuclear Power Corporation
Following their successful cooperation on the concession tender of Dunhuang 10 MW grid-connected PV power plant in China, CGNPC and Enfinity will establish a Joint Venture company in China.
Eskom Can Put South African Solar Power on the Map
Desertec is one such project planned for north Africa to supply renewable power to the European Union. CSP could provide up to 25% of total global electricity needs.
Oversubscribed Solar Panel Scheme to Cost Taxpayers $440M
Taxpayers will be stumped with a $440 million bill for the Rudd government’s wildly popular solar panel rebate scheme which was abruptly terminated earlier this year following higher-than-expected demand.
Click here to subscribe.