Rise & Shine: December 23, 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
SunRun Nominated for 2009 Crunchies Award
Vote your favorite companies, products and people for a Crunchie Award from our list of finalists below.
SolarReserve Signs Solar Power Contracts
SolarReserve, a California-based developer of utility-scale solar power projects, has signed an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for the sale of electricity from SolarReserve’s Rice Solar Energy Project.
MID Pondering Solar Panel Project North of Modesto
The district board heard a report on a proposal to turn a 160-acre expanse of land on the northeast corner of McHenry Avenue and Patterson Road into a solar energy field.
Iberdrola Renewables Extends and Expands Existing PPA with Modesto Irrigation District
MID will extend an existing 25 megawatt (MW) contract with Portland, Oregon-based Iberdrola Renewables to June 30, 2015.
NATIONAL NEWS
NM PRC Makes Decision in Renewable Energy Case
New Mexico regulators have issued an order that clears the way for customers to take advantage of third-party power purchase agreements with renewable energy developers, potentially opening the door for more investment in solar systems.
First Solar’s Projects: The Truth and Everything Else
Media reports and research notes have popped up lately to raise questions about some of First Solar’s long list of pending projects in western United States.
Solar Panel systems at Catholic University Help Students Apply Classroom Instruction to the Real World
294-kilowatt System Is Largest in the Metro Washington, D.C., Area.
Why Tomorrow’s Solar Leaders Will Hail from Chips
Several events in the solar industry in recent weeks have reminded me just how valuable executives with chip chops are to the solar biz.
The Long Island Power Authority Approves the Largest Solar Energy Project in New York State
Long Island Power Authority President and CEO, Kevin S. Law today announced that the LIPA Board of Trustees approved power purchase agreements (PPAs) with BP Solar and enXco.
First Solar Drops 150MW Project in Colorado
U.S. solar power company First Solar Inc (FSLR.O) has dropped plans to develop a 150 megawatt solar power project in Colorado, the company said on Tuesday, shifting its focus to “higher priority projects.”
State Approves Funds for Solar Panels on Sound Walls
A state funding authority Dec. 17 approved $31,500 for solar panels that are proposed to be mounted on sound walls being considered as part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike widening project.
GT Solar Names GFI Energy Executive to Board
R. Chad Van Sweden is vice president of the GFI Energy Group of Oaktree Capital Management LP. He previously worked as an investment banking analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston and at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Who Saved the Renewables Industry?
As the interviews progressed it became clear the industry suffered a body blow when the economy collapsed. Also clear was the idea that massive intervention on the part of Congress and the administration staved off disaster.
Lightspeed’s 2010 Cleantech Predictions
Despite the rise in availability of capital in 2010, investors will likely remain cautious.
Bloomberg Busy New Energy Finance Market Research Firm
Signaling that it sees green to be made from green data, Bloomberg LP, the financial information and business news giant, said today it has acquired New Energy Finance, a London-based market research firm focused on alternative energy.
Alternative Energy Storage
The alternative energy storage market is expected to grow substantially with a recent boom in renewable energy and increasing need for cleaner storage technologies.
TECHNOLOGY
Surrette Battery Launches Additional 2V Batteries
Surrette Battery, manufacturer of the Rolls Battery line of leading North American lead-acid batteries, has introduced two (2) higher capacity 2V battery models to our Renewable Energy line-up.
Glitter-Sized Solar Photovoltaics Produce Competitive Results
Sandia National Laboratories scientists have developed tiny glitter-sized photovoltaic cells that could revolutionise the way solar energy is collected and used.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
S.A.G. Solarstrom AG Implements 9.7 MW Project for GPR Global Power Resources
S.A.G. Solarstrom , Freiburg, is installing altogether 10 photovoltaic systems with a total output of 9.7 MWp in the South Italian province of Brindisi for GPR Global Power Resources. It is estimated that the ground-mounted systems will be connected to grid in April 2010.
Colexon Energy Hands Over 2.4 MW of Solar Power Plants
Owing to an individual substructure designed by Colexon engineers, the company says an extraordinary energy yield will be achieved.
US-Thai Cooperation to Develop New Solar Products and Services
The US company Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc. (SNRY) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan have signed a broad business and technical collaboration agreement to build, integrate, test and commercialise a series of new solar products and solutions.
Taiwan Unveils Asia’s Biggest Solar Plant
Taiwan has unveiled what it calls Asia’s biggest solar power plant as the island, which imports almost all its energy, seeks to tap into clean renewable resource.
LG to Produce Solar Cells in January as South Korea Gets Green
Despite a glut of production capacity, South Korean TV makers want a piece of the solar action.
Click here to subscribe.