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
South San Francisco Unified Considers Solar Project to Save Money
South San Francisco Unified is joining a growing list of school districts considering or already pursuing solar power in the hopes of achieving millions of dollars in reduced utility costs and new revenue over the long haul.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Solar Power Sales Will Almost Double This Year, Isuppli Says
Global sales of solar power panels will jump 94 percent this year as developers rush to install systems before cuts in government incentives, according to industry publisher Isuppli.
Home Solar Panels Doubled Electric Output Last Year
Homes generated twice as much power from rooftop solar panels last year than in 2008, says a new report by the solar power industry.
Solar Industry Created 17,000 Jobs, 441 MW in 2009
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of the good news for solar.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Renewable Funding to Support Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Programs in Santa Fe, NM, Santa Barbara County, CA, and State of Louisiana
PACE allows property owners to avoid upfront costs of renewable energy and energy efficiency retrofits, repay through assessment on property over time
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
A Big Bet on Solar Technology
The venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and other investors are making a big bet on Amonix, a company in Southern California that has spent 20 years developing concentrating photovoltaic power systems that resemble gigantic solar panels.
Energy Conversion Devices to Announce Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2010 results on Monday May 10, 2010
In conjunction with the release, ECD management will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 10.
Canadian Solar Updates Expectations For Q1 2010
Canadian Solar today announced that based on selected unaudited financial results, it now expects PV module shipments in the first quarter of 2010 to be approximately 189 MW to 191 MW, with gross margins at 13% to 13.5%.
BP to Invest $8B in Alternate Energy Through 2015
In the UK, BP Alternative Energy Chief Executive Katrina Landis told Reuters that the company expects to invest $1.3 billion in alternative energy in 2010, and will invest a total of $8.0 billion through 2015.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
German Government Approves Solar R&D Subsidy
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet approved plans on Wednesday to grant 100 million euros in support for the solar power industry to overcome resistance in parliament to its plans to cut state-mandated incentives.
Spain May Cut Rates for Existing Solar Plants, Government Says
Spain is studying whether to cut prices paid for renewable energy retroactively, a step that would reduce the estimated returns of clean-power projects already in operation.
Italy Rumored to be Considering Quarterly Solar Subsidy Adjustments
Such measures could have a positive influence on the solar industry by allowing more flexible and timely modification of feed-in tariff (FIT) rates, according to industry sources.
OPEL Solar, Inc. and Tecneira, S.A. Launch Partnership with 1 MW Solar Plant
OPEL Solar, Inc., a developer and supplier of high concentration photovoltaic solar panels and other solar products, including ground-based and rooftop tracker systems, has signed an agreement with Tecneira, S.A., the Portugal renewable energy company of the ProCME Group.
Suntech Supplies Solar Panels to Sydney’s Town Hall
Suntech just announced that it has supplied the Town Hall building in Sydney, Australia, with a 48kW rooftop installation.
Etrion Provides SunPower Construction Update for 4MW Solar Project in Italy
Etrion Corporation announced today an update on the construction of its initial 4 megawatt (MW) solar power project in Puglia, Italy.
Solar in France
Recurrent Energy of San Francisco said Tuesday that it will partner with a French firm to develop solar power projects throughout France.
16 Spectacular Solar Arrays You Must See
Explore the gallery below to see 15 more of the world’s most impressive solar arrays.
