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
U.S. Army Selects ACCIONA for 500MW Solar Power Project
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has selected the team of ACCIONA Solar Power and the Clark Energy Group to develop a large-scale solar energy project at one of its most iconic installations: the Fort Irwin military complex, located in the Mojave Desert, California.
Environmental Concerns Delay Solar Projects in California Desert
Several companies seek to build renewable-energy facilities on public land — a goal backed by the White House — but the slow permit process and fears over imperiled species have hindered construction.
Plastic Package Inc Goes Solar
Already a significant manufacturer of green 100% post consumer recycled plastic containers, Plastic Package, Inc. has committed to using power from the sun in its manufacturing processes.
Proposed Solar Agreement Could Bring Savings to City
Bullhead City Hall soon may be getting some of its electricity from the sun. Tuesday, the city council will consider a solar energy partnership with Mohave Electric Cooperative.
Sustainability Institute, Solar Farm Proposed for Diamond Valley Lake Area
A 400-acre solar farm and an international institute aimed at promoting energy and water conservation are new ideas being floated for property surrounding Diamond Valley Lake.
NATIONAL NEWS
California & Texas: Renewable Energy’s Odd Couple
In the absence of sustained federal action to support clean energy and fight climate change, Texas and California are serving as important policy laboratories.
Stop That (Solar) Thief!
As more solar panels are stolen, companies find new ways to protect them.
State Now in Race to Home-Grow, Recruit New Jobs
Arizona seems well-suited to support the renewable-energy industry given its year-round sunshine, but some solar manufacturers have bypassed the state. The legislation provides a 10 percent investment tax credit and up to an 80 percent property-tax reduction for factories and headquarters of renewable-energy manufacturers.
North America’s Largest Photovoltaic Solar Plant Set to Open
The road to North America’s largest photovoltaic solar plant passes cows and orange trees before turning to gravel amid a field of 90,000 black panels.
City Enables ABQ Property Owners to Install Solar Systems
Albuquerque property owners soon will be able to obtain low-interest loans to help finance the installation of solar electric systems on their homes and businesses.
Clean Edge Says Cleantech Jobs Are Everywhere
In its first look at the state of clean-tech jobs in the U.S. and globally, Clean Edge Inc. has released its Clean Tech Job Trends 2009.
Small Scale Solar PV Project Updates
A periodic look at some notable smaller solar projects from around the world.
Solar Group’s Drilling Stance Spurs Backlash
A Florida solar group’s support for offshore oil and gas drilling as a means of generating revenue for renewables has spurred a backlash.
Can’t Afford Solar Panels? Lease Them
Solar Leasing Programs Boast No Upfront Cost and Can Cut Energy Bills, or Even Leave Consumers with a Monthly Surplus.
Hawaii is Calling
Solar Energy International (SEI) hosts beginning and advance PV workshops in Honolulu in November.
Solar City: Austin Sees Huge Potential for Solar Power, Thanks to Satellites
A sunbelt city could potentially generate enough juice to meet all of its peak, summer afternoon demand. That’s what Roger Duncan, general manager of Austin Energy, said this morning at a conference.
Solar Energy & Detroit: Renewable Companies See Advantages in Auto-Industry’s Pain
Xtreme Power, which makes the energy-storage and power-management systems, and Clairvoyant Energy, which develops thin-film solar production capacity using equipment from Oerlikon Solar, have agreed to buy the space from Ford.
Complete Solar Decathalon Results: Germany Repeats as Champion
Team Germany from Darmstadt won top honors for the second time.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Power Consumption Down for a Year in U.S., Solar Dips Too
Blame it on the recession. Power consumption has declined for 12 months, says the EIA. And there’s been a slight dip in solar.
PG&E Signs 290MW Solar Deal with NextLight
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has reached a deal with Agua Caliente Solar LLC, a subsidiary of NextLight Renewable Power LLC, for 290 megawatts (MW) of solar power to serve PG&E’s customers in Northern and Central California.
PG&E to Issue Refunds to Customers
PG&E, based in San Francisco, collected $424.4 million more than necessary. Power prices this year were substantially lower than predicted.
A Ray of Hope for Electric Choice in Illinois?
It seemed too good to be true in 1997 when then-Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar signed a bill to deregulate the state’s retail electricity markets.
Customers Say New PG&E Meters Not Always Smart
Designed to track electricity and gas use with precision, SmartMeters relay their data to the utility via wireless, without the need of a meter reader.
How “Smart Grid” Can Be A Dirty Word, Plus 5 Alternatives
Even though the “smart grid” industry is a hot topic these days — with $4 billion in federal stimulus funds set to be doled out in weeks and a potential $210 billion in revenues between 2010 to 2015 — the term can still be a dirty word for some utilities.
Utilities Take a Shine to Solar Power
Renewable portfolio mandates, favorable economics, federal tax credits and some creative thinking are leading utilities to add solar energy to their generating portfolios.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Government Energy Retrofit Report Highlights Savings
The federal government made billions of dollars available in the stimulus package for weatherizing low-income homes. But what about everyone else?
Congress and Agencies Debate an Overhaul to the Federal Energy Start Program
A new partnership agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy — intended to pre-empt legislation that would revamp the Energy Star program — is stirring debate on Capitol Hill.
Energy Firms Deeply Split on Bill to Battle Climate Change
As the Senate prepares to tackle global warming, the nation’s energy producers, once united, are battling one another over policy decisions worth hundreds of billions of dollars in coming decades.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
First Solar Joins S&P 500
With the company joining the S&P 500 list, it’s hard not to notice that solar is getting downright mainstream.
Solar Co. Touted by Gov. Struggling
JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst Christopher Blansett told The Boston Globe many investors don’t think Evergreen Solar Inc. is viable in its current form.
Solar Companies Defend Accounting Practices
U.S.-based First Solar denied it was using aggressive accounting methods to support its earnings growth, despite concerns from some analysts that its cash flows were beginning lag profit levels.
TECHNOLOGY
eIQ Unveils New Converter Modules for “Parallel” Solar Installs
Startup eIQ Energy has released two new DC-DC converter modules that it says can reduce installed cost and improve efficiency of solar power arrays.
Thompson Technology Industries Delivers the First ICC Certified PV Roof Braket
Improved Technology Meets Most Standard Codes.
Entech Solar Announces Products Update
Entech Solar) today announced progress on its ThermaVolt™ II and tubular skylight products, as well as its plans for its SolarVolt™ II product, which would generate electricity only.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
TSMC Prepping Thin Film PV Launch?
Reports suggest Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is taking steps to “crystallize” its solar photovoltaic (PV) plans, announced months ago.
Suntech & AEDB to Develop Solar in Pakistan
Final agreement between the parties is subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements among the parties.
China 2009 “CleanTech: transfer & Innovations & Manufacturing”
The International Scientific and Business Congress on Protecting the Climate.
CentroSolar Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results
Centrosolar Group AG was able to report the best result in the history of the company for the third quarter of the current financial year.
BP Solar Announces Agreement with Jabil to Manufacture Solar Modules in Poland
BP Solar today announced an agreement with Jabil Circuit, Inc. to manufacture BP Solar modules for the European market in Jabil’s plant in Poland.
EDP Chief Maps Solar Strategy on Cheap Land in U.S.
EDP-Energias de Portugal SA, the country’s biggest power company, said the U.S. is the most attractive market for expanding in solar energy.
Kuwait Plans Solar Plant Tender in ‘10
Kuwait plans to call a tender next year for a solar energy plant, and aims for five percent of total supply from renewable energy by 2020.
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