Rise & Shine: February 5, 2010
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
Sungevity Moves to Oakland
Sungevity, a fast-growing solar energy company, has signed a deal to move its headquarters and 54 employees — with expectations of hiring dozens more — from Berkeley to downtown Oakland’s Jack London Square.
NATIONAL NEWS
Going Solar Doesn’t Have to be a Solar Act
Buckman read about the offer from a company called SunRun, a home solar service company based in California, last spring and decided to learn more.
High Hopes for Clean Energy Jobs
The study, by Navigant Consulting, said a renewable-energy standard requiring utilities to produce between 20% and 25% of their energy from wind, solar and other renewable sources would create between 191,000 and 274,000 jobs.
SunEdison Activates First Phase of 16MW North Carolina Solar Farm
Duke Energy is buying the farm’s entire output under a 20-year contract.
Wells Fargo Activates Solar Array in Denver Metro
The systems were designed and installed by Denver-based Namasté Solar.
NYSEIA Proposes Long Term Solar Electric Incentive Plan
New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) has proposed a long-term plan that would base solar electric incentives on performance, location and project size to help New York achieve its clean energy goals at the lowest cost to utility ratepayers.
Rivermoor Energy Starts Construction on Solar System in Boston
Rivermoor Energy, a Newton-based solar development and investment firm specializing in commercial, government and utility projects, said today that construction will begin this month on one of the largest solar projects in Boston.
Leilani Munter’s “Eco Dream Team” Announces NASCAR Green Challenge
groSolar is proud to sponsor her efforts to make renewable energy a part of our national identity.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Google Slowly Adding users for Energy Tool PowerMeter
PowerMeter has close to a dozen utility partners it’s working with that have millions of customers collectively.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
AltaTerra Research Announces Solar Money and Markets Series
New web conference series to address timely and fundamental questions of economics, finance, subsidies, and sales and marketing for the solar industry in 2010.
Suntech Exec Sees Excess Solar Supply Coming to Us
Planned cuts to Germany’s solar power incentives will probably prompt solar companies to ship excess panels to the United States.
The Prospects of Amorphous Silicon PV: Down But Hardly Out
While amorphous silicon kept a low profile through 2009, competitors will ignore it in coming years at their own peril.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
DOE Releases US $20.5 for Community Renewable Energy Project
DOE estimates that these projects will provide enough clean, renewable energy to displace the emissions of approximately 10,700 homes.
Sanders/Cohen Bill Would Cover America’s Roofs with Solar
National rebate program would deploy photovoltaic and solar hot water, create tens of thousands of jobs.
Crafting National Standards
Renewable energy is making a gradual presence in this country. But the key question facing U.S. lawmakers is whether to mandate broad portfolio standards or whether to continue giving the states the authority to determine such measures.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Solar Startup 1366 Closes $5.2M, Signs New Customers
Solar startup 1366 Technologies has closed $5.15 million in a second round of funding from North Bridge Venture Partners and Polaris Venture Partners.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
New Online Application for Comparing Photovoltaic Solar Power
The multinational photovoltaic (PV) component distributor, Proinso, has launched a new application on its website called “Solar PV Tracker”, which allows the comparative calculation of solar energy production anywhere in the world.
Amplio Closes on 6 MW of Italian Solar Plants
This brings Amplio’s total investment in solar in the last 12 months to approximately €33 million, financed in part with equity and vendor finance in order to accelerate construction of the solar plants.
Aries Ingenieria y Sistemas Comissioned for Feasibility Studies to Develop Two 50MW CSP Plants in India
The company supports India’s National Solar Mission that sets a target up to 22,000 MW of installed capacity for the next seven years.
Solar EnerTech Enters into Solar Module Distribution Contract With Aussie Solar Installations in Australia
Solar EnerTech and Aussie Solar Installations have entered into a 15 MW solar module distribution contract.
MEMC Notes Solar Wafer Price Falls Stabilizing
After significant polysilicon and wafer price declines in 2009, MEMC executives have become more upbeat about demand and price stability entering the first quarter of 2010 and beyond.
Germany’s Solar Energy Industry Predicts 44% Cut in Power Price
Germany’s solar industry said the government’s proposed price cuts for electricity generated from the sun may reach 44 percent when combined with reductions already written into law.
Soccer Green Boost for World Cup with First Chinese Sponsor
Yingli Green Energy, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar panels, was unveiled as the first Chinese company to sponsor the FIFA World Cup on Wednesday.
Solarfun Launches New PV Products with Reduced LTD
Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd., a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots and photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules in China, has launched a new “ECLIPSE” line of PV cells and modules with reduced light induced degradation.
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