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
Clouds Hold Clues for Power
The University of California San Diego has received a grant to battle one of the biggest enemies of solar-power generation. Clouds.
Solar Power Inc. Awarded Contract to Develop World’s Largest Elevated Solar Recreational Vehicle Parking Structure
Award marks second project for Solar Power, Inc. with management group developing the Temescal Canyon RV storage facility.
NATIONAL NEWS
For Renters, Solar Comes in Shares
Sometimes called solar gardens or farms, the idea is that utilities build the arrays, and customers — renters, people with shady roofs and even condo owners — can buy a share.
First Solar Sells 30 Megawatt Solar Photovoltaic Power Project
First Solar has sold a 30 megawatt (AC) photovoltaic solar power project to Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Kyocera Supplies Solar Panels to Georgia’s Largest Commercial Solar Project
USFloors commissions state’s largest commercial sector solar array.
PV Powered Inverters Used in 1MW Solar Project at the University of Toledo
The 1.12 MW system was installed by Advanced Distributed Generation LLC (ADG) of Toledo, Ohio and will be owned and operated by Constellation Energy Projects & Services of Baltimore, Maryland.
Solar Group Taps Energy Dept. Vet for Top Policy Slot
The Solar Energy Industries Association, the industry’s main Washington, D.C.-based trade group, on Monday said it has hired Thomas P. Kimbis as both its new director of policy and research and general counsel.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Privacy and the Smart Grid
Some technology policy organizations are worried that smart meters pose a potential threat to privacy.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Analysis of US Concentrated Solar Power Market
CSP Today catches up with Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s solar associate, Nathanial Bullard, to discuss issues currently affecting the US CSP sector.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Applied Materials Ups Lobbying Effort on Energy
Applied Materials Inc. ramped up its lobbying effort during the last three months of 2009, spending close to a half-million dollars trying to sway lawmakers on energy policy and other issues.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Day4 Energy Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2009 Results
Day4 Energy today reported operating results for the fourth quarter and full year 2009.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
China Sunergy Announces to Acquire Two Solar Module Manufacturers
China Sunergy announced today an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of two related module manufacturers
Statkraft Opens Its First Solar Power Plant in Italy
Norwegian power generator Statkraft opens its first solar power plant, Casale in Aprilia, Italy. Statkraft has also signed an agreement with Siemens Energy to build more solar power plants in Italy..
ABB Awarded $30 MW Solar Contract
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a $30 million order from GA Solar, part of the Gestamp Corporation, to deliver a 13 megawatt photovoltaic power plant in northern Spain.
BKK Power Plans Solar Farm
Bangkok Solar Power, a leading producer of electricity from solar energy, will spend Bt100 million to build a large solar farm in Lop Buri province this year.
Atlantic Wind and Solar Inc. Signs $120M Project Financing Agreement with Canada Green ESCO Inc.
The Agreement paves the way for Atlantic Wind and Solar, and its wholly owned subsidiary Atlantic Solar Inc., to aggressively proceed with its many solar projects and to expand its business in the Ontario rooftop solar business with funding as required.
FITs, PV and the UK
A response to the current feed-in tariff/ PV debate in the UK.
Solar Choice Welcomes Feed in Tariff
Solar panel installation specialists, Solar Choice have praised the forthcoming introduction of the UK feed-in tariff, which will come into effect in April 2010.
German Solar Cuts Grounded
Piper Jaffray produced a research note on Monday morning quoting German press reports that the feed-in tariff (FIT) cuts for ground-based solar, including farmland solar projects, might be delayed until Oct. 1.
