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
Port Dedicates System of 100 Solar Panels
The Port of San Diego has dedicated a new photovoltaic system that includes more than 100 solar panels to help generate power for the agency’s administration building on Pacific Highway.
Solar Power Inc Signs Agreement with Solarmarkt Süd Park
Solar Power, Inc. has signed a sales order agreement to supply German solar project developer Solarmarkt Süd Park with up to 25 megawatts of SPI’s high-performance 200 and 205-watt modules for a project currently being executed by Solarmarkt Süd Park.
Recession Proof Jobs, Green Energy Industries
Now companies, like Sun Run, are offering residential leases on solar systems. Customers get solar installed for one thousand dollars up front. Sun Run owns the system and maintains it.
California Governor Fails to Live Up to His Green Goals
In a strange but interesting demonstration of cynicism, Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed an executive order directing state agencies to develop regulations requiring all utilities to achieve 33 percent renewable energy by 2020.
NATIONAL NEWS
NM Schools Offered $10M for Solar Systems
Public schools around New Mexico will get a crack at part of $10 million in federal stimulus funds to develop photovoltaic or solar electric systems.
Solar Energy Project OK’ed in Burlington County
Burlington County’s freeholders approved a solar energy project Wednesday night as part of a $1.5 million contract to save on heat, air conditioning and electric costs at a government building.
PA Solar Power Legislation in Cooling Off Phase
The sun, it seems, was no match for another source of scorching heat: a state budget firefight in Harrisburg.
Ascent Solar Signs Multi-Year Supply Agreement with TurtleEnergy
Ascent Solar Technologies has signed a multi-year direct supply agreement with TurtleEnergy LLC, a premium photovoltaic systems integrator headquartered in Linden, New Jersey.
PSEG Solar Source and Juwi Solar Announce Three Large-Scale Solar Projects
PSEG Solar Source yesterday completed the acquisition from juwi solar of two utility-scale solar projects to be located in Florida and Ohio and announced that it has developed a third solar project located in New Jersey, all of which have a total capacity of close to 30 megawatts.
Pyron Solar Signs Joint Venture Agreement with Korea’s ATS International
CPV manufacturer, Pyron Solar and ATS International, a provider of factory automation equipment located in GyeongGi-Do, Korea, have announced a joint venture today that will see Pyron Solar’s first international solar system operational by the end of the year.
Solar is the Bridge to Our Future
The reason I get so excited about solar power is that it offers a viable solution, at least in part, to all of these major challenges: economic competitiveness, energy independence, and climate change.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Duke Reaches Second Chinese Energy Deal
Power company Duke Energy Corp. said Wednesday that it has struck its second deal in just over a month with a large Chinese power company to develop sources of low-carbon energy.
MARKETS & MARKET RESEARCH
Global Solar Module Production Practically Doubled in 2008
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has published its eighth Annual Photovoltaics Status Report, announcing that PV production around the world rose to approximately 7.3 GW in 2008; an 80% rise on the previous year.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Treasury & Energy Surpass US $1B in Recovery Act Awards
U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Energy Secretary Steven Chu this week hosted a group of clean energy developers and manufacturers at the White House to discuss how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) is creating jobs and helping expand the development of clean, renewable domestic energy.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
The Global Solar Energy (PV) Platform
The drought in bank financing for some solar-energy projects is still pinching many VC-backed, clean-energy companies–but also many solar installers.
TECHNOLOGY
Suntech Beats its Own Solar Record
The company has improved the efficiency of its Pluto panels to 16.53 percent from 15.6 percent, but it still has to prove that betting on the new Pluto technology is a good idea.
MTBF and Reliability – A Misunderstood Relationship in Solar PV
In the PV industry the traditional approach of using central or string inverters with the highest efficiency under lab conditions, and at the lowest cost per peak watt of power, is giving way to systems that are simpler to install with longer component lifetimes.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Mage Solar to Build 1.2Mw Project in Belgium
The project is being realized in the Flanders region in 2 construction stages.
Phoenix Solar Founds Subsidiary in France
France is considered to be an attractive photovoltaic market with a huge growth potential.
Spain’s Answer to to Unemployment: Go Greener
Leader in Renewable Energy Considers Subsidies, Mandates to Build Industry.
