Solar Newsletter

January 15, 2007

Policy Development

The Top Stories of 2006
From the passage of SB1 in California to a solar cell breaking the 40 percent efficiency barrier to a record year for wind power in the U.S., Canada and UK, renewable energy made tremendous strides over the past 12 months. So, to welcome in the New Year, we're recapping some of the highlights of 2006.

Toronto to be home to Canada‘s largest solar power research centre ...
Oilweek Magazine - Edmonton,Canada…The solar park at the Portlands Energy Centre will create between 500 kilowatts and one megawatt and harvest enough solar energy to power up to 1000 homes. ...

The Future of Solar Power Lies in the Northeast

Soon there will giant farms of photovoltaic panels baking in the sunlight of the southwest deserts, the resulting energy powering Phoenix, Las Vegas, and the rest of the region. If this vision of the future of solar power in the United States sounds right to you, it would probably come as a surprise to learn that some of the best potential customers for the solar power industry are homeowners and small businesses in the Northeast who will install small-scale systems on their property.

Congress Urged to Shift Funds to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
In a letter delivered this week to congressional leaders, 103 business, consumer, environmental, energy policy, and other groups urged that federal energy research and development funds be shifted to programs supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency -- away from fossil fuel and nuclear power programs.

New Solar Homes Partnership Under Way in California
A blend of energy efficient solar homes will emerge on California's real estate market this year under the state's New Solar Homes Partnership -- a program that encourages builders to install solar energy systems on new homes as a standard feature for the home buyer, just like granite countertops.

Go Solar!
Environment Colorado - Denver,CO,USA..Employing today’s solar power technologies, Colorado can heat and power more than a quarter of a million homes, businesses, farms & schools in the next two ...

Bay Area nurtures solar energy efforts

CLEAN ENERGY BUSINESSES thrived in 2006. It was a particularly great year for the solar power industry, which is becoming more profitable and continuing to grow by leaps and bounds on both a national and global scale.

European Parliament backs 25% target for renewables
STRASBOURG, France, January 5, 2007 ..Members of the European Parliament have backed a proposal to require a binding target of 25% of the continent’s energy to come from renewables by 2020.

New Zealand to promote renewables in energy strategy
WELLINGTON, New Zealand, January 5, 2007 ..(Refocus Weekly) ..As much new electricity as possible should come from renewable energies, according to a draft energy strategy for New Zealand.

Financing

President Bush Approves One-Year Energy Tax Credit Extension

President Bush approved a bill on December 20th that will extend federal tax credits for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. The wide-ranging Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 extends the production tax credit through 2008 for electricity produced from wind power, geothermal power, biomass, landfill gas, small irrigation power, and trash combustion facilities. It provides a similar one-year tax credit extension for new properties that produce geothermal power or make use of solar energy; for homeowners that purchase solar water heating, solar photovoltaic, or fuel cell systems; for businesses that purchase fiber-optic lighting systems, solar energy systems, or fuel cell power plants; for new energy efficient homes; and for energy efficiency improvements to commercial buildings.

Congress Extends Federal Solar Energy Tax Credits Through End of 2008

(WASHINGTON, DC) - In its waning hours, the 109th Congress today passed legislation that would extend the 30% solar energy investment tax credit (ITC) for homeowners and businesses for one additional year, through the end of 2008.

Sunshine in the Public IPO Markets
In the past, a solar IPO (Initial Public Offering) was a rare event, with never more than three or four coming in any given year. This year, 2006, marks the beginning of a significant ramp up in solar IPO's and more importantly, it is the beginning of serious financial resources coming into the solar industry which will allow the industry to continue its recent robust growth.

SPP Introduces SPP LLC1, a California Solar Energy Fund
Solar Power Partners (SPP), a developer, owner and operator of a distributed network of commercial solar energy facilities, has formally initiated its power purchase agreement (PPA) program for mid-size commercial buildings in California; the program helps fund the upfront capital costs associated with purchasing or leasing solar systems.

Utilities

EUROPE-WIDE BLACKOUT REPORT HINTS AT RENEWABLES CAUSE

The November blackout in Europe that dropped power for 15 million homes may have been caused by wind turbines, suggests the Renewable Energy Foundation in London.

U.S. utility proposes green power program
DETROIT, Michigan, US, January 5, 2007 (Refocus Weekly) A U.S. utility wants to offer its 2.2 million electricity customers an option of choosing green power for all or part of their electricity needs.

Washington Utility Plans 500-Kilowatt Solar Power Project

Puget Sound Energy (PSE), the largest utility in Washington State, is planning to build the largest solar power project in the Pacific Northwest. The company issued a request for proposals (RFP) on December 4th for a 500-kilowatt solar power project located on eight acres at the site of its Wild Horse Wind Project in Kittitas County. PSE intends for the project to start generating power later this year, but leaves open the question of which solar technology to use, specifically listing specifications for solar photovoltaic systems, dish/engine systems, and parabolic troughs.

Florida Powert and Light invests in solar power

SARASOTA COUNTY -- By next spring, a structure in Rothenbach Park is expected to produce enough energy to power 44 homes.

Municipal Development

Palo Alto is First California Green Power Community Recognized by Environmental Protection Agency

Palo Alto, CA -- The City of Palo Alto is the first city in California, and the fourth city in the country, to be certified as a Green Power Community by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Palo Alto qualified for this certification with a two percent green power purchase collectively as a community. “EPA applauds the City of Palo Alto for its collective green power purchasing and leadership as a green power community,” said Deborah Jordan, Director of the EPA’s Air Division in the Pacific Southwest Region. “The City’s efforts should serve as an example to other communities throughout California seeking to reduce air emissions associated with using electricity. By purchasing green power, Palo Alto is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

BP Solar to Provide Educational Assistance and Materials to Frederick County Public Schools

BP Solar and Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) recently announced a plan they have been developing over the last 18 months whereby BP Solar will provide funds, materials and personnel to help FCPS teachers offer energy-related concepts to their students and to enrich science studies. BP Solar also is offering a host of other resources to FCPS such as classroom visits to discuss solar energy and tours of the Frederick facility, the largest, fully-integrated solar facility in North America.

CCSD Proposes Using Wind & Solar Power

The Clark County School District wants to help create its own power.  Kids First is counting down to Carson City and that's one of the proposed bills going to the Legislature.  As Kendall Tenney explains, district leaders believe by using the sun and the wind, they can teach students about alternative energy while saving you money.

Cities launch program to encourage solar power

Pleasanton and Livermore, already neighbors, have something else in common: a plan to encourage property owners to step up their use of solar power -- and help clean up the region at the same time.

Solar power looms in YC future
Appeal-Democrat - Marysville,CA,USA
Prospects are brightening for a long-discussed Yuba City plan to power the city's wastewater treatment plant with solar energy. ...

Solar Industry News

ICP Solar Announces Tejas Solares Agreement and New Office in Madrid

ICP Solar Technologies Inc. (OTCBB: ICPR), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of solar cells and products, announced today that they have signed an agreement to begin supplying solar energy solutions worth up to Euro15 million annually to Tejas Solares, a leading residential solar system developer. To support their expansion in the Europe, Middle East, African and Asia-Pacific markets, ICP is opening its EMEA - PAC offices in Madrid

BP Teams with Largest Roofing Company in Northern California

BP and Old Country Roofing (OCR), Northern California's largest roofing company, announced that they have signed an agreement to offer more than 100 homebuilding companies and homeowners turn-key solar roofing solutions. This strategic relationship will benefit builders who plan to offer solar energy solutions to prospective new home buyers

GT Solar Expands Presence in China

Merrimack, NH (USA) - GT Solar Incorporated, a global leader in photovoltaic technologies and equipment, announced today an expansion of its presence in China by the formation of a Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise (WOFE), GT Solar (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Abengoa Creates Solar Energy Subsidiary in U.S.
Abengoa S.A., a Spanish-based $3 billion diversified energy company, has created Solucar Power, Inc., a new U.S. subsidiary that will handle market development in solar energy. Solucar Power will respond to utility requests for electricity using concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies.

SatCon First to Obtain UL1741 Approval for Critical Protection Device for Commercial High-Power Photovoltaic Inverters

SatCon Technology Corporation(R) (Nasdaq CM: SATC), a developer and supplier of power management and system architecture solutions for the alternative energy and distributed power markets, today announced that it is the first provider of high-power, commercial photovoltaic inverters to deliver and install a UL1741 approved ground fault detection interrupter ("GFDI") resulting in significant savings for installers of photovoltaic systems. The purpose of the GFDI is to detect low levels of ground currents and interrupt any faults within specified limits.

Akeena Solar Expands to Meet Solar Power Demand

Akeena Solar, Inc. (OTC BB: AKNS), a leading designer and installer of solar power systems, has opened an Orange County regional office to serve the exponentially growing demand for solar energy among residential and commercial customers in the area. According to the California Energy Commission, the market for photovoltaic systems in Orange County has been experiencing an average 190 percent growth rate since 2003.

Ted Turner Launches New Clean Energy Business Venture
ATLANTA, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Ted Turner today announced the launch of a new business venture to provide clean power solutions. Turner will partner with Dome-Tech Solar, a leading solar energy developer, based in Branchburg, New Jersey to create DT Solar, a Turner renewable energy company. DT Solar will initially focus on providing on-site solar electric power systems for commercial and industrial clients, as well as developing larger, utility-scale solar power plants in the southwestern United States.

Carmanah unveils solar battery for computer monitors
Victoria Times Colonist - Victoria,BC,Canada
NEC, which calls itself a leading stand-alone provider of flat-panel desktop displays, is selling the solar-power battery systems to retail and business ...

The heat is on
Jerusalem Post - Jerusalem,Israel
Sales at the solar power company jumped from a meager $4 million in 2005 to more than $25 million in 2006 - and they're about to make a huge leap forward in ...

New Projects

American Energy Technologies Installs Solar PV Array on Office Building in Millburn, NJ

The Village of Millburn has taken a giant step into the new millenium, but you wouldn't notice it as you drive through town. Up on the roof of 75 Main Street, a small office building built in 1980, American Energy Technologies of Wayne, NJ has installed a PV Array capable of generating 72 kW of electricity at peak production.

American Energy Technologies Commissions PV Array for Capitol Lighting in Eatontown, NJ

American Energy Technologies adds another Customer On-Site Renewable Energy system under the NJ Board of Public Utilites Clean Energy Program guidelines and incentives. To date the NJ program has over 1,800 installations, both home and commercial, forecast to generate over 26,000 megawatt hours of clean, renewable electricity annually.

First solar-powered poultry house set for 2007
UDaily - Newark,DE,USA…A first-of-its-kind solar-powered poultry house will soon begin operations at a Laurel farm owned by Allen Family Foods Inc. The house is part of a research project to evaluate the use of solar power as an economical source of energy for poultry houses.

Niihau School Gets New Power System

The only school on Niihau will no longer have to rely on generators for power.  By this summer, a new solar power system will be installed, allowing the school to have computers for the first time.  The school can also have a refrigerator and freezer to store fresh foods and frozen meats for teachers and students. The total cost of the system is just over $200,000.

SolarCity Collective Power Program Successfully Concludes in Portola Valley

Community Energy Program Installs Over 175kW of Residential Solar. FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- SolarCity, a provider of comprehensive solar power solutions, has exceeded goals set for its inaugural collective solar power program in Portola Valley, Ca.

Solar power lights to be put up along I-277
Charlotte Observer - Charlotte,NC,USA
After years of delays and budget shortages, the state is poised to fix the burned-out lights that line the uptown highway by installing solar-powered bulbs. ...

“The Common Voice”

CitizensRe Will Make History And Thousands Of Millionaires By Bringing Solar Power To YOUR Home

 January 6, 2007 ( Willow Grove, PA  ) --- Home based business veteran Victor Patalano announced today the opening of a new business plan for the average person, as well as the networking “Pro” in order to leverage your time, profit, and electricity in your home by generating your own solar power.

One man's dream of 'Free Heat'

A former LCCC instructor, who taught about the use of solar power, talks about using the sun and other "natural resources" in one's home.

Coming Soon: Affordable Solar Power

Raise the Hammer – Canada…Spectrolab, a division of Boeing, has developed a solar cell that converts 41 percent of the sunlight that strikes it into energy. ...

Here Comes the Sun
Daytona Beach News-Journal - Daytona,FL,USA…HOLLY HILL -- When it comes to conservation, Arthur Kowitz is a staunch believer who thinks nothing of picking up bent nails from the ground, straightening them and reusing them. "Everything I touch has two or three lives before it goes away. Everything gets used up," Kowitz said. "Call it civic duty ... social consciousness," the 57-year-old businessman said. It comes as no surprise then that he also is a strong supporter of finding clean, renewable energy sources. Now, after years of talking, Kowitz is doing something to make that dream come true.