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
SF Mayor Says Solar Program Lags Expectations
Mayor Gavin Newsom wants to encourage 1,600 businesses to install solar power systems over the next decade, and the city hopes to set up an electric-car charging network.
SF Mayor Newsom Challenges City’s Largest Businesses to Install Solar
San Francisco’s 1500 largest businesses can get a free solar assessment and energy audit from the San Francisco Department of the Environment by joining the Solar Founder’s Circle.
Los Gatos, Saratoga in Friendly Competition to be Most Eco-Friendly
Akeena has begun the Solar Power Challenge between the cities. The first city to install 150kW of residential solar power systems by Dec. 31 will receive a 10kW solar power system on a municipal building. The city that comes in second place will receive a 2.5kW system.
REC Solar Brings Davis, CA Residents Together to Celebrate World’s Largest Solar Events
REC Solar and the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society are bringing Davis, CA residents together on Saturday to take part in the 13th Annual ASES National Solar Tour.
BP Solar and OCR Roofing Work Together on SMUD’s “Home of the Future”
BP Solar and OCR Solar & Roofing have teamed up with R.J. Walter Homes and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to create the “Home of the Future” in Folsom.
BP Solar Completes Fourth Installation for Wal-Mart
BP Solar today announced the completion of a 546 kW solar power system at the Sam’s Club in Glendora, California.
AT&T Plans Renewable Energy System for San Ramon Campus
AT&T is working with SunPower, CH2M HILL, PG&E, and Morgan Stanley to install and operate a 1MW solar power system on AT&T’s facility at the Bishop Ranch office park in San Ramon.
Kaiser Permanente Opens Environmentally Friendly Hospital in Modesto, CA
Solar panels on top of the attached medical clinic that shield the rooftop mechanical equipment from view and generate 50 kilowatts of electricity.
California Developers Pick New Mexico
Two California solar energy developers have identified almost 21,400 acres of state trust lands in Luna, Hidalgo and Valencia counties as potential sites for utility-scale solar power plants.
Cool Earth Breaks Ground on Prototype Plant
The Livermore, Calif.-based company says it has broken ground on its first pilot plant and plans to build commercial plants starting next year.
NATIONAL NEWS
Unirac Chosen by BP Solar for 1.2MW Project for Colorado State University
Unirac Inc. has been selected by BP Solar to supply a custom ground mount solution for a 1.2MW solar array at Colorado State University – Pueblo.
Suntech to Power 1.6MW PV Project at Arizona State University
Suntech has been selected to supply 1.6MW of solar panels to Sun Devil Solar LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrys Energy Services, for its project with Arizona State University.
SolarWorks NJ Signs $14 Million Agreement to Develop Solar Farm
SolarWorks NJ, LLC is planning to develop a solar farm on twelve acres of land owned by Suncatcher Clean Energy LLC in Williamstown, New Jersey.
Jersey Central Power & Light Files Solar Renewable Energy Financing Proposal
Jersey Central Power&Light filed with the NJ Board of Public Utilities a proposal to enter into long-term agreements to purchase and sell Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC) to provide a stable basis for financing solar generation projects.
First Solar Production Expanding in Ohio
The expansion will add one more line, bringing total production capacity in Ohio to 192 MW by the second quarter of 2010.
Spire Corp. Recognized as One of Fastest Growing MA Companies
Spire Corp has been recognized by the Boston Business Journal as one of the fastest-growing public companies in Massachusetts.
City Home Featured in National Solar Tour
The Parentes will take part in the National Solar Tour Saturday with about 50 other Connecticut homeowners and business owners who are inviting the public to visit their properties to learn more about solar power.
Green Leaf Partners and Pinnacle Install PV Systems in Tennessee AParatment Community
Green Leaf Partners of San Ramon, CA is the first to install a solar electric system in a Tennessee apartment community, according to LightWave Solar Electric, a TN-based PV installation firm.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Half of Global Electricity To Come From Renewables IEA Says
Nearly 50% of global electricity supplies must come from renewable energy sources in order to cut CO2 emissions in half by 2050, the International Energy Agency says in its latest study
An Exhausting War on Emissions
Norway became one of the first countries in the world to impose a stiff tax on harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Since then, the country’s emissions should have dropped. Instead, they have risen by 15%.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
PV Powered Receives US $5M Award
PV Powered has been selected by the U.S. DOE and contract manager, Sandia National Laboratories, for an award under the Solar Energy Grid Integration System (SEGIS) program.
Centrica plc Agrees to Acquire Solar Technologies
Centrica plc, the owner of British Gas, has acquired Solar Technologies Group Limited for £2.8 million in cash, including the repayment of debt.
Greentech Investments See Record Q3
Greentech startups raised $2.8 billion in venture capital in the third quarter, more than double the second-quarter total, with solar companies raking in $1.5 billion.
Cleantech Bubble A Red Herring
A panel of VCs took the bubble question head on. The response from investors tends to be nuanced: no, there isn’t a bubble, but there are some silly company ideas getting funded.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
US Senate to Vote on Renewable Energy Tax Credits Today
Under the legislation, the same version that passed the Senate on September 24, will extend the PTC for one year and the ITC for eight and at least partially paid for by a change in the tax code for the oil and gas industry. The bill also contains removal of the US $2,000 cap for homeowners.
TECHNOLOGY
Sanyo Introduces HIT Power Solar Panels
These hybrid solar panels offer new technological improvements, such as higher conversion efficiency, less vulnerability to high temperatures and enhanced construction.
Will My Solar Panels Become Obsolete?
Experts all over the world are working on more efficient panels, but these innovations are probably 10 to 15 or more years away from wide scale distribution. While prices are higher now, rebates are also the most generous. And, the beauty of solar panels is that they do not exactly go obsolete.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
aleo solar AG Signs New Italian Contracts
aleo solar AG is continuing to expand its business in Italy following the signing two supply contracts for a total of 5.5 megwatts with the Italian project developer ERIC Group S.p.a.
Solar Panels in Japan
80 percent of newly-built homes will be equipped with solar power systems by 2030 in Japan.
