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
Fotowatio to Acquire MMA?s Solar Business
Fotowatio, one of Spain’s largest independent solar power producers, has agreed to purchase the core US solar power assets of San Francisco-based MMA Renewable Ventures.
ET Solar Provides Tracking Systems to US?s Largest Solar PV Project Operating on Dual Axis Trackers
Composed of 89 ET Solar trackers spread over 5 acres, the solar power plant will generate 1.014 MW or 35% of the electricity demands of West County Wastewater District every year.
Solar Power Grab, LA Style
Voters in Hollywood will get to decide whether to support a measure to require their utility to build more solar energy projects. Opponents say the measure would lock out private solar energy installers.
Opinion: Simitian Bill Would Help Housing Developers Meet Renewable Energy Goals
EAH Housing, one of the larger nonprofit providers and managers of affordable housing in California, supports state Sen. Joe Simitian’s legislative proposal (part of SB 14) to increase the required amount of renewable energy sources in California’s portfolio to 33 percent by 2020.
San Jose Plans First Large-Scale Solar Array on City Property
San Jose began soliciting proposals Monday for 1 to 2 megawatts of solar power at city maintenance yards ? the largest such installation on city-owned facilities.
NATIONAL NEWS
FirstSolar Acquires OptiSolar’s Project Pipeline
First Solar has entered into an agreement to significantly expand its penetration within the U.S. utility solar power market with the acquisition of OptiSolar’s solar project pipeline.
Solar Project Planned for Vermont National Guard
Senator Bernie Sanders has secured a $5 million grant for the Vermont National Guard that could result in the largest solar energy project in the state and one of the largest in New England.
Gainesville Reaches 4MW in Solar Reservations
Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) has announced that it has reached its first year solar PV reservation target with a groundbreaking feed-in tariff.
Suntech to Distribute Enphase Micro-Inverters
Initially Suntech has ordered enough of the Enphase Micro-inverters for approximately 1 megawatt of solar installations.
Udall Urges Renewable Energy Expansion to Help NM
Rural New Mexico can benefit from efforts to expand the production of electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall said Monday.
Chinese, US Swap Clean Energy Ideas at Forum
A Chinese delegation from the U.S.-China Clean Energy Forum visited Sunnyvale’s Applied Materials recently to foster an exchange of ideas about solar energy and the nuts and bolts needed to one day connect an efficient energy grid based on renewable sources.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Senate Panel to Study Smart Grid
Lawmakers, regulators and industry officials have declared that a “smart grid” is necessary for the nation’s energy security and clean energy future, but the technology has yet to be adopted nationwide.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
The Race is on for $1/W SolarPower
The report shows solar energy companies are cutting costs at a pace that will soon make solar power competitive with grid electricity in several major global markets.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Team Obama wants to Pursue High-Risk, High-Reward Initiatives
The goal is to pump money into high-risk, high-reward research to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as batteries for hybrid vehicles, advanced biofuels and cheaper, more powerful solar panels.
TECHNOLOGY
Concentrating Photovoltaic Technology Goes Automation
Concentrating Photovoltaics is just about to do the great step from manufacture to automation thus facilitating the generation of quite different quantities of power by means of this technology.
Energy Innovations Spins out Solar tracking Business Unit to Form RayTracker Inc
The formation of the new company will allow the team to further expand, develop and capitalize on the growing demand for its RayTracker GC product line.
Fuji Takes Lightweight Solar Cell Modules on the Road
The company’s solar module weighs half that of a crystal-based solar cell module of the same size. The module is on display at PV Expo in Tokyo.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
China Sunergy Receives Solar Cell Sales Order from Asola
The agreement is for 30 megawatts (MW) of modules in 2009.
Iraq Looks to Solar Energy to Help Rebuild its Economy
Off-grid solar panels could soon be installed in Iraq in a push to supply electricity to people across the country, many of whom have no access to the national grid.
eSolar Signs Exclusive License with ACME to Construct 1 GW of Solar Power Plants in India
The agreement combines both companies? resources to enable complete project capabilities, ranging from technology development and component manufacturing to power plant construction and operation.
Evolution Solar Receives Major Wafer and Ingot Order
Evolution Solar expanded its foot print in the Asian markets when it opened a second office in Xiamen.
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