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
Solar Power, Inc. Contracted for Solar Solution at San Sevaine Villas Affordable Housing Complex
The solar system will allow the complex to significantly reduce energy costs, delivering an estimated $52,000 in annual electricity cost savings.
Canadian Solar and The San Jose Sharks Announce Partnership
With U.S. headquarters in San Ramon, Calif., Canadian Solar is the perfect partner for Northern California’s championship hockey team.
NATIONAL NEWS
Uni-Solar Laminates Installed in Italian PV System
Energy Conversion Devices’ UNI-SOLAR® brand light weight thin film photovoltaic laminates have been installed for the new Marcegaglia Casalmaggiore photovoltaic power station.
Suniva Selected for Loan Guarantee Program by the U.S. Department of Energy
Upon the completion of the DOE’s due diligence and subject to the successful negotiation of the terms of a loan for approximately $141M, Suniva plans to start the construction of a new manufacturing plant in Saginaw County, Michigan.
Ascent Solar Signs Deal with Kirloskar Integrated Technology
Under the terms of the multi-phase agreement the two companies will commence integration, marketing and distribution of Ascent Solar’s flexible CIGS photovoltaic modules into products designed to address multiple market opportunities in India.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
For the Smart Grid, a “Synchophasor”
It measures conditions on those lines — like power flows, voltage and some more exotic characteristics of electricity, like frequency and phase angle — and reports the information back to a computer at a grid control center.
Oncor Sued for Fraud Over Smart Meters
The lawsuit in Texas is the second lawsuit against smart meters, the other suit is pending against Pacific Gas & Electric in California.
GridPoint Readies Business Plan 3.0: Energy Management Services
Over time, GridPoint will ideally try to tie it into the software it sells to utilities, conceivably paving the way for demand response and monitoring services.
SDG&E Signs Deal to Increase ‘Green’ Electricity
San Diego Gas & Electric is increasing how much “green” electricity it is getting by signing a deal for power from a geothermal power plant north of San Francisco.
PJM EnviroTrade to Launch SREC Auction
PJM EnviroTrade, a new subsidiary of PJM Interconnection, plans to launch a new auction to trade solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) this summer.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Don’t Call Solar a Commodity, Sucker
GTM Analyst Shyam Mehta gets thrown off his panel for calling solar panels a commodity.
EPIA Forecasts a Bright Future for the Global Photovoltaic Market
In a workshop in Rome earlier this month, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) discussed progress made by the sector and forecast that the PV market could reach 30 GW by 2014.
Solar Industry Has Record Year, but Expecting to Climb Much Higher in 2010
EPIA reported that global installed capacity increased to 20GW last year, an increase of 6.4GW. It is expecting another increase of at least 40% in total installed capacity in 2010.
Solar Companies Learn to Leverage Public Market Data to Inform Decisions
Solar market experts Larry Sherwood and Jon Guice will instruct April 29th web tutorial for solar companies on using public information in business decisions.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
SEPA: Snapshot of the US Legislative and Regulatory Environment
Just like REC market benefits are hard to monetize for financing (since the market naturally fluctuates), carbon markets could have similar issues.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Sunways Reports 2009 Financial Results
This rise in sales was supported by both segments (solar cells, solar systems) and corresponds to an increase against the prior year by more than 20%.
Natcore Technology to Acquire Vanguard Solar
The closing of the transaction is subject to the completion of due diligence and mutually agreeable legal documentation.
SOLON SE Publishes 2009 Annual Report
he Company simultaneously reported that it had come to a basic agreement with the banks regarding restructuring of the Group’s financing.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
SunPower to Build Solar Power Plants Totaling 16.5 Megawatts for Sol.In.Build in Italy
SunPower Corporation and Sol.In.Build Srl, a majority owned subsidiary of Veronagest SpA, today announced an agreement to build seven solar photovoltaic power plants totaling 16.5 megawatts in the Sicily region of Italy.
Slashed Subsidies Send Shivers Through European Solar Industry
Generous government subsidies made cloudy, chilly Germany the world’s biggest market for solar power.
Canadian Solar Releases NewEdge Roof-Mounting Solar Modules
Canadian Solar has launched a new line of solar modules compatible with the racking system from Zep Solar that Zep says can slash costs and speed the installation process.
Britain Expecting Solar Energy Boom
A carbon-free energy future is expected to create a boom for the solar energy sector in the European markets, solar advocates said in London.
Sentinel Solar Forms Alliance with SolGate
The partnership will focus on the Ontario solar market space.
Enphase Ready for Ontario FIT Program
This new product will fulfill the domestic content requirement and will therefore enable installers to participate in the Ontario Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) program.
