Rise & Shine: July 21, 2009
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
San Jose Spreads Information on Neighborhood Solar Projects
San Jose officials have begun visiting neighborhood associations this summer to give homeowners information about solar power systems and potential group discounts. The presentations are part of the city’s 2008 Green Vision goal to receive all electrical power from renewable sources in 15 years; the information sessions do not endorse specific solar companies.
Pittsburgh Firehouse Going Green with Solar Power
The city is installing solar panels at its No. 34 firehouse near the city’s North Side in October, as part of an ongoing initiative to make city buildings ‘green,’ or energy efficient.
GRID Alternatives Selected as Program Manager for the California Solar Initiative Single-Family Affordable Solar Homes Program (SASH)
As Program Manager for SASH, GRID Alternatives will directly market, finance, design, engineer and install small (1-3 kW) solar photovoltaic systems for low income homeowners in the Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) electric utility service territories.
REDCO Signs Power Purchase Agreement With California City
The Needles, Calif., city council and the Needles Public Utility Authority (NPUA) have unanimously approved and executed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Renewable Energy Development Corp. (REDCO).
NATIONAL NEWS
ACC Considering PPA Regulation in Arizona
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) may begin making decisions on how to regulate solar power systems operating under power purchase agreements (PPAs). The Phoenix Business Journal reports that regulation could come later this year.
Solar Cells, Automation and Green Jobs
Aside from its environmental benefits, solar energy is frequently touted for its job creation potential. But for solar manufacturers themselves, machines — not employees — may be the key to their long-term survival.
Rhode Island Governor Signs Important Net Metering Legislation
Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, R-R.I., has signed H.5461A – net metering legislation that encourages renewable energy production by crediting system owners for the energy their systems feed into the grid.
100MW Module Facility Planned in Westmoreland County
The Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland County has received a $6.5 million low-interest state loan on behalf of Solar Power Industries Inc. (SPI), to help build the first commercial scale solar facility in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Nexamp, Inc. Completes Cape Cod’s Largest Solar PV Install on Osterville Marina
Osterville Marina Teams Up With Clean Energy Solutions Company, Nexamp, Inc., to Construct the 57 kW Grid-Tied Solar Array.
IX Energy Partners With Advanced Green Technologies to Build 28kW Solar Array
IX Energy Holdings is partnering with Advanced Green Technologies to build a 28kW rooftop solar array at Warren Easton High School in New Orleans as part of the New Orleans Solar School Initiative. Advanced Roofing is the prime contractor on the installation.
Skyline Solar to Commercialize Concentrating Solar Power Tech in Q4
It could be a risky time to enter the market, with analysts predicting an oversupply of several gigawatts of solar products and capacity this year, but the company is betting that the market will start to improve by the time it’s fully ramped up.
MEMC/BP Solar Trial Commences
MEMC Electronic Materials reported that a jury trial will commence today in the Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland, in the case titled BP Solar International, Inc. vs. MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. and MEMC Pasadena, Inc.
UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
PG&E, Citing Infrastructure, Seeks Rate Hikes
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. wants to raise its electricity rates 6.5 percent in 2011 to fund repairs to its aging power grid, the utility said Monday.
SMUD Establishes Feed-in Tariff
The FIT will apply to systems up to 5 MW that are connected to SMUD’s local distribution system, and is capped at 100 megawatts system-wide. The SMUD FIT applies to both renewable and fossil-fuel generation technologies.
FirstEnergy Ohio Utilities Seeking RECs
FirstEnergy says that a request for proposals will be issued to secure RECs for customers of its Ohio utilities – Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison – to help meet the renewable energy requirements established under Ohio’s new energy law.
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
No Bill Left Behind: Here Comes the Clean-Energy Push
The World Resources Institute launched a paean to the powers of new solar-power technology. It argues that concentrated solar power—sometimes known as “baseload solar”—can provide a low-carbon yet reliable power source for U.S. energy needs.
FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS
Crosslink Capital’s Alain Harrus on Solar Investing in Tough Times
At Intersolar North America, we sat down with Alain Harrus to get an update on what’s happening at SoloPower and hear his thoughts on some of the changes the industry is seeing in solar investing. Here are excerpts from our conversation
TECHNOLOGY
SCHOTT POLY Module Awarded CSA International Certification
SCHOTT Solar has received CSA International Certification for its SCHOTT POLY™ photovoltaic (PV) module produced in Albuquerque, NM.
Energy Recommence Introduces New Monitoring System
Energy Recommerce Inc. (ERI), a provider of renewable energy performance monitoring and management solutions, has unveiled the RECtrack 3+, the company’s latest addition to the MYPVDATA monitoring platform.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Meridian Neue Energien and BP Solar Sign Module Supply Agreement
The BP Solar modules are being allocated to five rooftop projects, which are already in the construction phase and are set to start operation in August this year.
ICP Solar Introduces New Products at Outdoor Retailer Show
One of the revolutionary products to be highlighted will be a solar charger that ICP Solar has developed in conjunction with Konarka Technologies.
Colexon Installs 4MW Thin Film PV System
The solar power plant, which has a capacity of 4.64 megawatts (MW) is located in Hassleben, Germany.
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