The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar-industry news. Brought to you by Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at SunRun.

NATIONAL NEWS
PV Powered Helps Portland Water Bureau Go Solar
EC Company chooses PV Powered inverters for environmentally-friendly installation.

PNM Spells out Renewable Energy Plan
Public Service Company of New Mexico has come up with a plan for incorporating renewable energy into its portfolio, and it’s very different from an initial proposal that sparked a firestorm of criticism from the renewable energy industry, environmentalists and consumer advocates.

Acro Energy Keeps Kreamer as Presidet
Kreamer had been interim president of the Houston renewable energy company since June 2009.

Geoscape Solar Unveils New Jersey’s First Residential Solar Leasing Program
The leasing program was created to avoid upfront costs associated with buying a system and offers homeowners an affordable way to go solar, save money and make a positive impact on the environment.

UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
As Idaho Utility Pushes Efficiency, Critics Seek More Renewables
Despite the efficiency push, critics say that Idaho Power has lagged in another important energy area: nonhydro renewable energy.

PG&E SmartMeters Likely to Boost Shut-offs
More Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers who fall behind on their bills will have their power shut off once the utility installs SmartMeters throughout its territory, the company predicted in a recent government filing.

Expert Says Rhode Island Power Purchase Agreement Too Expensive
A power pricing expert testified last week that a proposed offshore wind power purchase agreement between Deepwater Wind and National Grid is too expensive and should not be approved.

MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Solar Pioneer Roger Little to Present “US PV Manufacturing: Poised for Explosive Growth” Webinar
Over 1,100 & Counting to Attend The Greentech Media sponsored Webinar held this Wednesday, January 27.

Solar Power Advocates Hopeful for 2010
Between 500 and 600 megawatts of solar power will be built this year across the United States — about double the figure of last year.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Senate Dems Build Case to Include Clean Energy, Solar in Jobs Bill
A Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee this week will highlight solar energy and clean energy job opportunities as President Obama and Democrats continue to work on economic recovery and job creation.

FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Bluefield Forms #282M Solar Power Venture with Essentium
Bluefield LLP, a private equity fund manager specialized in solar energy, has begun a joint venture with Essentium to build power plants that can produce 70 megawatts by harnessing sunlight.

TECHNOLOGY
Solland Solar Offers Sunweb Back Contact Solar Cells
The solar cells available from the company are: back-contact cells, standard cells and B2B.

Memory Maker Micron Eyes Solar, LEDs
If you’re a chip company, the future looks energetic.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Solarstrom Concludes Financing for 4.6 MW PV System
S.A.G. Solarstrom AG has now included a 4.6 MWp system the company installed on the roof of the Dehner Garden Center in Rain am Lech in their own financing portfolio.

Kerself Inaugurates 9 MW of Photovoltaic Projects in San Severo
The fields, connected to the mains grid last December, were commissioned by Voigt & Coll., a German financial company active in photovoltaic investments in Europe.

Green Energy Solution Inaugurates Two MW of PV Tracking Systems
Green Energy Solution Inaugurates 2 MW of photovoltaic mono-axis trackers system plants in Sanarica and San Cassiano Green Energy Solution s.r.l. completed has 2 MWp photovoltaic solar plant in San Cassiano and Sanarica – Lecce.

Energy Conversion Devices Announces Completion of 1.87 MW Belgian Project
Energy Conversion Devices today announced the installation of 1.87MW of UNI-SOLAR® brand photovoltaic laminates on the Flanders Expo in Ghent, Belgium.

A-Power Completes Acquisition of Evatech
A-Power is expected to fund 100% of the transaction, 45% of which is expected to be reimbursed from foreign-investment grants from various levels of the local government in China.

Japan Backs Another Photovoltaic Project in an Emerging Economy
The Japanese government has donated $7.4 million to Morocco to install a 1-MW photovoltaic solar array in the south of the country.

Taiwan Hopes Solar Power Plant Will Boost its Solar Energy Industry
Taiwan is home to Asia’s largest solar power plant. The island hopes this new facility will boost its solar energy industry.

Solar Investments in Germany May Suffer with Power Rate Cuts
Q-Cells SE, Solarworld AG and competing solar-energy companies face a dimmer outlook for investment and jobs as the German government considers cutting subsidized power prices.

Saudi Arabia Hooked on Solar Power as Oil Antidote
Saudi Arabia feels threatened by the hot air on climate change emanating from “certain” industrialised countries, and is planning a major push to develop solar-powered electricity.

Posted by: Sydney Larson on January 26, 2010.