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
Will the Hollywood Sign Go Solar?
The caretakers of the Hollywood Sign assembled at the Roosevelt Hotel to consider adding solar panels to the most well known modern cultural icon in the world.
BP Solar to Supply PV for Wal-Mart in California
BP Solar confirmed that it has been selected to provide solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for Wal-Mart stores in California.
NATIONAL NEWS
1 Blog Off the Grid Launches New Solar Campaign in New Orleans
If you’re looking for solar in New Orleans and want to get involved, check out their website.
Spire Opens New Advanced Technology Center
Spire announced it has upgraded and expanded its Advanced Technology Center (ATC) located at Spire’s headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts.
SunEdison Signs REC Solar as First Channel Partner
SunEdison today announced that national integrator REC Solar has been signed as the company’s first channel partner. SunEdison’s solar channel partner program provides national installers and integrators increased project financing capabilities.
What Big Companies Want from Green Startups
Unilever, IBM and other companies said they are constantly investigating green technologies that would help them conserve energy or sell products to customers who embrace efficiencies.
Sempra Wants 300MW Plus of Solar in Arizona
The power plant developer is looking at different solar technologies for a project in Arizona. Panels are cheaper than thermal, says the CEO.
‘Green Jobs’ Initiative Questioned
Commerce and Labor members in Nevada reviewed SB114, an alternative energy bill that would ensure a homeowner association couldn’t restrict a homeowner’s right to install and use solar energy systems.
LockMart Celebrates Completion of Solar Energy Testbed
The Solar System Test and Engineering Site (SolSTES) array in southern New Jersey enables Lockheed Martin engineers to integrate and test a variety of solar technologies in a high-fidelity test environment.
Kingman Lands $1 Billion Solar Plant
Arizona will be getting a second, $1 billion solar power plant in the next few years under a proposal by Albiasa Corp. to locate a 200-megawatt facility near Kingman.
Harnessing the Sun
The panels will be used to teach students about alternative energy and to power a portion of the small 300-student kindergarten through 12th-grade school, Gardiner School, which faces the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Raser Technologies Governor of Utah to Sign Renewable Energy Bills
House Bill 430 provides major tax incentives to renewable projects, including a refundable certificate up to the amount of the economic benefit realized by the state from new state revenues.
Oregon Solar Bill Raises Questions about Utility Ownership of RECs
Because the bill would automatically grant utilities the renewable energy certificates (REC) generated by system owners, some businesses are worried it could reduce payback options for customers in the state and undermine the program.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Cleantech Backers Thinking Smaller
While the new government emphasis on green investment is set to pour billions into the sector, investors at the conference Wednesday said new companies have to be lean, mean and focused to gain their attention.
Clearwater Distressed Funds Buy Chinese Solar Convertible Bonds
Clearwater Capital Partners LLC, a New York-based manager of $1.7 billion in Asian distressed assets, bought “a substantial amount” of Chinese solar companies’ convertible bonds as prices for the notes plunged.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Research Firm Forecasts Solar Downturn, Expects Rebound by 2011
The severe downturn in the global Photovoltaic (PV) market in 2009 actually could have a positive outcome for the worldwide solar industry, yielding a more mature and orderly supply chain when growth returns, according to market research firm, iSuppli Corp.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Administration Stops Short of Endorsing
Obama administration officials said Wednesday that an ambitious energy and climate-change proposal sponsored by House Democrats could help create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they stopped short of endorsing it.
Obama Calls for New Era of Energy Exploration
“The bulk of our efforts must focus on unleashing a new, clean-energy economy that will begin to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, will cut our carbon pollution by about 80 percent by 2050 and create millions of new jobs right here in America.”
TECHNOLOGY
FATA Automation Delivers Solar Panel Lamination Lines
FATA Automation, Inc. has announced their expansion into the alternative energy sector by delivering a number of automated lamination lines to Rochester Hills based Uni-Solar Ovonic, a subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, a supplier of thin film PV solar panels.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Mitsubishi Electric Supplies Modules to Italian PV System
Mitsubishi Electric has supplied Ray Energy Group with photovoltaic modules for the largest Italian photovoltaic greenhouse. Ray Energy Group operates in the renewable energy field, providing a full spectrum of services for solar photovoltaic installations.
