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
Calif. Photovoltaic Solar Farm Now Shovel Ready
CalRENEW-1, the first utility-scale photovoltaic solar farm to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission under the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standard program.
Consensus Elusive on Proposed Desert Solar Projects
Members of Congress who came to Palm Desert community on Monday to build consensus on solar energy development found they had a ways to go.
VTA & Skyline Solar Kick Off Power Plant Partnerships
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is now beginning to consume electricity generated by solar power at its Cerone Bus Maintenance and Operations Division in North San Jose.
Chevron Bids to Make College Solar
The Chevron corporation is proposing to install solar panels, a wind turbine and other alternative-energy equipment at Copper Mountain College, promising to save the Joshua Tree campus more than 950,000 kilowatts and $450,000 every year.
NATIONAL NEWS
Company Will Break Ground on Buena Solar Energy Facility
Groundbreaking is expected within six months on a 400-kilowatt solar power generation facility in NJ that officials say will bring economic and environmental benefits.
REC Solar Brings Installation Services to Phoenix
Arizona’s solar potential has brought another solar player, REC Solar Inc., to the state offering more competition.
Energy Conversion Looks for Revenue in Solar Project Development
Solar panel maker Energy Conversion Devices is trying a new strategy to drive demand for its products: it’s jumping into the solar project development business.
APS Pilot Envisions Interconnected Solar Rooftops
As envisioned in a proposal filed today with the Arizona Corporation Commission, the APS Community Power Project will bring solar panels to the rooftops of homes and businesses with no upfront costs to customers.
First Colexon Solar Plant Installed in Arizona
Colexon Energy AG has realized its first solar power plant in the USA on the roof of the Arizona State University in Tempe.
Energy Conversion Devices and Enfinity to Co-Develop Solar Projects
Energy Conversion Devices and Enfinity, NV today announced plans to co-develop a portfolio of rooftop solar installations throughout the U.S., as well as in numerous European countries, including Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Solon Releases Results for First Quarter 2009
The first quarter of 2009 fell short of expectations. The long and harsh winter in southern Germany had a negative impact on demand for solar energy systems, as did the continuing lack of sufficient funding for larger photovolatics projects.
Energy Conversion Devices Reports Results to March 31, 2009
Total consolidated revenues for the quarter were $66.0 million, compared to $70.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2008 and $103.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2009.
Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures Leads Investment in Sustainable Energy Technologies
Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures has led an investment in Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd, a developer of breakthrough solar inverter technology.
TECHNOLOGY
SANYO HIT Power Series to be a “Hit” Item and Topic at Solar 2009 in Buffalo
Along with the trade show, there will be a special business training event called “SOLAR SUCCESS!” where SANYO will be offering a complete 2-hour hands-on training workshop on the latest products and technology, focusing on the N Series and HIT® Double on May 14.
Fat Spaniel Links PV Data With Satel
The San Jose-based solar power monitoring and optimizing startup and the Finnish radio modem company plan to offer their combined services in Spain through a partnership announced Tuesday.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Aussies Swamp Solar Scheme
Australians have gone crazy for solar panels – and the government’s picking up the tab.
PV Cycle, Key Partner in the First Major Project to Dismantle and Recycle a European PV Farm
The local authorities in Chevetogne (Belgium), the installer Nizet, and PV Cycle, an association which represents manufacturers and importers of PV modules accounting for over 70% of the European PV industry, have started dismantling the Chevetogne solar farm, which was originally (1983) one of the first 16 pilot PV plants developed by the European Commission.
Apollo Solar Announces Results of Independent Technical Review
The Board of Directors of the Company engaged Behre Dolbear & Company, Inc. to undertake an independent technical review of the Dashuigou and Majiagou Projects and to produce a technical report for the resource estimates of the two properties.
Suntech to Double European Sales and Marketing Team
Suntech also announced it has relocated its European headquarters from London to Schaffhausen, Switzerland as part of its ongoing strategy to centralize regional operations and broaden the level of local service and support to its rapidly expanding European customer base.
Q-Cells SE publishes Report as of 31 March 2009
At 154.4 MWp, overall production is at more or less the same level as the previous quarter (Q4 2008: 156.2 MWp) and significantly up on the same quarter of the previous year (Q1 2008: 117.2 MWp).
Taiwan Semiconductor Says it May Enter Solar Energy Business
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest custom-chip maker, said it may invest in alternative energy as it looks for new long-term growth industries.
