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
SolarCity Introduces Affordable Solar Financing Option for Small, Medium, and Large Businesses
SolarCity’s New Power Purchase Agreement Can Allow a Wide Range of Businesses, Churches, Schools and Other Organizations to Adopt Solar Power for Less Than They Currently Pay for Electricity.
Cal Senate Committee Proposes Net Metering Compromise
Although the state Assembly proposed raising the net metering cap to 10 percent from 2.5 percent, a Senate committee wants to set it at 5 percent. The industry, meanwhile, says that it has to be raised for the market to survive.
S.F. Solar Power Rebate Use Quadruples in 2008
The economic recession hasn’t stopped eco-conscious San Franciscans from installing solar panels on the rooftops of their homes and businesses – with some financial help from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
L.A. County to Reduce Fees for Solar Panels
Solar panel permitting fees in L.A. County average $1,143, more than twice the average permit fee of 250 municipalities reviewed, the study found. In response, the county will lower solar panel permitting fees to $370.
Mecasolar to Manufacture Solar Trackers in San Francisco
Mecasolar announced plans to open a new production plant in San Francisco for one- and two-axis solar trackers, as well as fixed structure mounts for utility-scale solar power plants.
SF Public Housing Goes Solar
Mayor Gavin Newsom announced plans Tuesday to install solar panels on three housing authority properties, including one in Hayes Valley.
NATIONAL NEWS
Renewable Energy’s Power Outage
The U.S. government stimulus package passed in February promised to reinvigorate the renewable-energy industry with new capital and programs, but the prospect of large flows of government money to the industry is holding up private-sector investment.
A Solar Solution?
SolarCity chief Lyndon Rive says leases, not technology breakthroughs, are the key to unlocking solar power’s potential.
The Shining: Solar Power, Grid parity, and the Cost of Power
As Lux Research notes in a new report, so-called “grid parity” isn’t a done deal yet, and still depends on such fickle factors as the amount of sunlight hitting rooftops and political will to underwrite hefty subsidies for solar power.
Lawsuit Filed Over Federal Energy Corridors
More than a dozen conservation groups filed suit Tuesday alleging that the federal government skirted several laws when designating thousands of miles of energy corridors in New Mexico and other Western states.
Leading by Example: Hawaii’s Clean Energy Initiative
Utility rate decoupling is ready to go into effect and a proposal before the state Public Utilities Commission will institute time-of-day pricing. Increasing efficiency through conservation is expected to meet 30 percent of the initiative’s 70 percent clean energy goal.
OPEL International Completes Phase 1 of 400kW HCPV Installation
OPEL Internationaland its Spanish partner, BETASOL, have completed the first phase of a four-phase, 440 kilowatt utility grade solar photovoltaic power plant in Spain.
City Strikes Tentative Water Deal with Solar Company
A 340-megawatt solar plant being planned in the Red Lake area north of Kingman may end up using treated city wastewater to help power and cool its steam turbines.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Progress Energy Carolinas Signs Up for 1.3MW PV System
Progress Energy Carolinas has signed an agreement with Southern Energy and NxGen Power to build, own and operate a 1.3-megawatt solar photovoltaic array and sell the output to Progress Energy Carolinas for distribution to its customers.
Massive Power Project is in Doubt
The future of a massive power line project that would start in Lassen County and deliver renewable energy to the city of Santa Clara and other parts of Northern California is in doubt after the withdrawal of its biggest investor.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Signing the Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency
As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to the development of clean, renewable energy, the United States today signed the Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
TECHNOLOGY
New Nanopillar Solar Cells Could Cost 10 Times Less Than Silicon Panels
Researchers at the University of California, Berkley (US), have developed a new kind of solar cell by growing an array of upright nanoscale pillars on aluminum foil.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Reflectia Inversiones to Install 400MW of Renewable Power in Bulgaria
The Spanish company Reflectia, which develops and sells guaranteed investment packages, particularly focusing on rooftop PV solar projects, is close to obtaining the permits required to develop PV solar installations in Bulgaria.
Suntech Power COO Resigns
Suntech Power today announced Mr. Johnson Chiang has resigned from his position as Chief Operating Officer of the Company effective July 3, 2009 for personal reasons.
E.ON Acquires Developer of Photovoltaic Projects in France
E.ON has signed a share sale and purchase agreement for the acquisition of Société Conilhac Energies S.A.S. (Conilhac), a developer of photovoltaic projects in southern France.
Milan Fair to Put World Biggest Solar Plant on Roof
The Milan trade fair said on Tuesday it is commissioning the world’s biggest rooftop photovoltaic power installation covering some 270,000 square meters.
