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
Carlsbad Contractor Goes Solar
A Carlsbad-based construction and asphalt company has converted its offices to run on solar energy, thanks to a proposal from a University of New Mexico sophomore.
The City’s First Municipal Green Roof
Towering solar panels automatically track the arc of the sun and will provide roughly a third of the site’s electricity.
NATIONAL NEWS
PNM, First Solar Sign Contract for 22 Megawatts of Utility Scale Solar Power
First Solar, based in Tempe, Arizona, will construct the facilities using its advanced PV panels at five separate sites within PNM’s service territory.
Edwards AFB Solar Project Reaches Major Milestone
The Air Force Real Property Agency and Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) have successfully partnered to execute an Agreement to Lease, setting the stage for development of the largest solar photovoltaic development in North America.
Solar Industry Aiding in Haiti Recovery
As the international community works to help Haiti recover from the magnitude seven earthquake that struck the country last week, the solar industry is looking to do its part to assist the in efforts being made.
Riverside Partners’ Portfolio Company, Alteris Renewables
In October, 2008, Riverside Partners structured and invested in the successful merger of Solar Works and Solarwrights, two renewable energy integration companies, to create Alteris Renewables, now the leading renewable energy integrator in the Northeast.
Heritage Aviation Installs Nation’s First On-Site Wind Turbine at General Aviation Facility
Alteris Renewables provides Heritage Aviation with wind, solar electric and solar thermal solution.
Energetic Announces with New Brunswick
NBS Energy Partners, LLC today announced an agreement with the New Brunswick Renewable Energy Consortium to install and maintain multiple solar panel systems at various locations throughout the city.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Q&A: Crossing the Energy Divide
This means for every unit of fuel burned, only 13 percent of the potential energy is actually converted as useable output to power machines, and illuminate and heat buildings.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Solar Market Rises in 2009, Says CEO. Will Supply, Demand Meet in 2011?
Masdar PV’s CEO says installations grew 10 percent globally last year and orders look good for 2010.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Senate Not Seen Passing Climate Bill in 2010
The Senate is unlikely to pass climate change legislation this year after going through the contentious health care debate.
TECHNOLOGY
Nanosolar Hits 16.4% Efficiency in Lab
We ran into Nanosolar co-founder Brian Sager in a parking lot. Here’s an update.
Odersun Achieves IEC Certification for CIS Solar Photovoltaic Modules
The IEC 61646 and 61730 certifications show that Odersun’s modules comply with IEC standards relating to function, quality and safety.
Ferraz Shawmut Offers Innovative Solar Power Circuit Protection
Designed for solar power generation and distribution.
Saflex Launches Second Gen Encapsulant for PV Market
As solar module manufacturers strive to realize cost structures meeting grid parity, Saflex, recently announced the commercial availability of a new thin gauge polyvinyl butyral (PVB) based encapsulant designed specifically for photovoltaic applications.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Germany Minister in Favor of Slashing Solar Tariffs
Slashing feed-in tariffs for the solar industry by 16-17 percent is feasible, German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle said on Tuesday, dealing a blow to the sector which is still hoping for smaller cuts.
Centrosolar Pilots Elevated Thin Film System
The system with a total output of 63.36 kWp consists of 440 modules and was installed onto the roof of the BGW head office car park in Hamburg-Wandsbek.
Arise Technologies Awarded 150kW PV System Contract
ARISE Technologies has been awarded a contract to supply a 150 kilowatt photovoltaic rooftop solar system to the Region of Waterloo in Ontario.
GT Solar Signs New Contracts with GCL-Poly
GT Solar has signed contracts in excess of $40 million with two wholly owned subsidiaries of China-based GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited.
Deal with Samsung to Build Solar and Wind Farms May Come This Week
The Canadian Press has learned that McGuinty is poised to sign an agreement with a consortium of South Korean companies led by Samsung to build green energy projects in Ontario.
Paz Solar to Build 3 Mid-Sized Power Plants (Israel)
Two plants will be built at Kibbutz Hatzerim and Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha in the Negev, and the third will be built at a site in the Galilee.
CEZ Building its Largest Solar Plant
Power producer ?EZ is building a solar power station in South Bohemia that should become the largest power plant using solar energy in the Czech Republic, daily Lidové noviny (LN) reported.
Day4 Energy Completes Second Phase of Solar Farm
The project, completed in two separate phases, consists of an initial 500 kilowatts completed in early 2009, followed by an additional 450 kilowatts completed in December, 2009.
100% Renewable? One Danish Island Experiments with Clean Power
One small island in Denmark is technically 100 percent powered by sustainable sources of energy. Could the experiment succeed anywhere else?
