Rise & Shine: November 6, 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.
NATIONAL NEWS
Once Lauded Mass., Company Moving Jobs to China
A solar panel company is moving some jobs overseas after receiving $58 million in state aid and being touted by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick as a symbol of the state’s economic future.
SunEdison to Build Largest Solar Installation in Puerto Rico
The American company has reached an agreement with the supermarket chain Walmart Puerto Rico to install solar PV panels on several of its stores.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
PG&E to Buy 500MW of Clean Solar Power from Nextera and Abengoa Solar
The agreements are among several solar deals recently signed by the utility with independent developers for a total of 830 MW.
Cold Shoulder for Smart Grid Stimulus Actually a Vote of Confidence
Two major California utilities – Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison — were noticeably absent from the $3.4 billion in smart grid stimulus grants announced last week.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Solar Concerns Turn from Credit Crunch to Price Plunge
Today, the economy is more stable and credit is freer, and so the industry faces two different trends. The first — a supply glut of solar products. The second is only beginning to emerge, but could take root: Demand has picked up for solar installations, especially in homes.
U.S. Struggles to Build Solar Opportunities
The competitiveness of the U.S. solar industry was a recurring theme at last week’s Solar Power International show in Anaheim, CA.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Boxer Rebellion: Senate Panel Approves Climate Bill Without GOP
The GOP wants to see more economic analysis of the impacts of the bill, which would create a cap-and-trade program, but Sen. Boxer said another report by the Environmental Protection Agency would be “duplicative and a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Etrion Closes Financing on Four Solar Projects
The ground-based solar photovoltaic power plants, once built, will generate approximately 6.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough electricity to power more than 650 homes.
Solar-Fabrik Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results
Corporate revenues for the first nine months were 89.016 million euros (previously 129.626 million euros) with a corresponding EBIT from the continuing business segments (Solar Power Systems and Solar Cells) of -1.152 million euros (previously -0.848 million euros).
Wacker Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results
Although 15 percent lower than a year ago, sales at the Munich-based chemical group were up 7 percent against Q2 2009.
TECHNOLOGY
G24, Chinese Institutes to Push Dye Solar Technology
G24 Innovations and a trio of Chinese institutes have agreed to accelerate development of the company’s recently-debuted dye-sensitive solar cell technology.
Think CIGS 2.0: The New Thin-Film Economy
The market for thin-film PV (TFPV) has the potential to grow 500 to 1000 times in the next 20-30 years and companies seeking to craft sustainable, long-term growth strategies should plan for this type of scale.
Hidden Solar Cells
Three-dimensional system based on optical fiber could provide new options for PV.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Solon Selected to Construct 11MW PV System
The contract was awarded by Renewable Energies and Photovoltaics Spain S.L. (REPS), a majority owned subsidiary of the Norwegian energy company Statkraft AS.
Bangladesh Decides to Use Solar Power
Power-starved Bangladesh has decided to use solar power in all new public buildings.
Kuwait Oil Giant CEO Eyes Solar Power Move
The chief executive of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation has said the company is looking at ways to increase the use of solar power.
Vela Solaris Tackles the Solar Puzzle
The Swiss startup licenses software for designing solar thermal heating and cooling or electric systems. Expect more software developers to jump into the solar market.
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