Solar Cells Info

Tokyo, Dec 24, 2008
Source: Reuters
Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Hugh Lawson
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4BN1U820081224

Japan plans to bring back subsidies for solar panel equipment from January, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Wednesday, as the world’s fifth-biggest emitter struggles to cut its greenhouse gas emissions.  METI said the government would offer 9 billion yen ($99.6 million) in the first quarter of 2009 and possibly more in the fiscal year starting next April to foster use of solar panel equipment in homes. (more…)

At 1 gigawatt, the solar power plant in northwest China would be the world’s biggest, but the timeline is a bit iffy at the moment. Construction starts next year.
by: Jeff St. John. December 31, 2008
Source: GreenTechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/
china-plans-worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-5437.html

Two Chinese companies have proposed a massive, 1-gigawatt solar photovoltaic power plant in China’s northwest, one that would be the worlds biggest if it’s completed.  The China Technology Development Group Corp. (NSDQ: CTDC) and Qinghai New Energy Co. announced this week that they had formed an agreement with local Chinese officials to start the project, according to a report from research firm JL McGregor & Company.  The project in Qinghai’s Qaidam Basin will start out in 2009 with a more modest initial goal of 30 megawatts at a cost of 1 billion Yuan ($146 million), and will combine crystalline silicon and thin-film solar panels, the firm reported. The timeline and projected cost of the entire 1-gigawatt project were not disclosed. (more…)

San Francisco, CA, Dec 22, 2008
Source: PG&E press release
http://www.pge.com/about/news/mediarelations/
newsreleases/q4_2008/081222a.shtml

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today that it has entered into a long-term agreement with El Dorado Energy, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sempra Generation, to purchase 10 megawatts of renewable, photovoltaic solar energy from Sempra Generation’s new El Dorado Energy Solar facility in Nevada. (more…)

By Susan Wilson, December 23, 2008 |
Source: http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2008/12/23/
congress-increases-the-rebate-for-solar-electric-energy/

While the Stock Market continues its impression of a yo-yo, one investment is continuing its uphill climb.  Solar installations are continuing to be an excellent investment especially with the increase in tax credits.  Congress finally passed an energy bill in October of this year that extended or increased tax credits for renewable energy.  At least one solar company was threatening to pull out of the U. S. market if the credits were not renewed.
(more…)

The company may begin with supplying equipment, and move on to energy production.
by Lior Baron, 6 Jan 09
Source: GlobesOnline
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/
DocView.asp?did=1000413992&fid=1725

Sources inform ”Globes” that German industrial giant Robert Bosch GmbH is considering entering Israel’s solar power industry. The sources added that Bosch executives recently visited Israel and met Minister of National Infrastructures Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and other officials, including executives of solar energy companies.  Bosch is initially interested in supplying equipment and installing thermal and photovoltaic panels at companies and households. Industry sources believe that Bosch may later build solar power projects, possibly as part of a consortium with Israeli companies. (more…)

by Tyler Hamilton, Dec 22, 2008
Source: TheStar.com (Toronto)
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/557162

Most homeowners, it’s safe to assume, would seriously consider putting solar panels on their rooftops if it was economical and didn’t involve a massive upfront payment.  As the kids might say on the drive to the cottage, are we there yet?  Not quite – but we’re heading in the right direction.  Ontario refunds the provincial sales tax on solar photovoltaic, or PV, equipment and under its standard offer program will pay 42 cents per kilowatt-hour if you want to feed your home-generated solar power into the grid. (more…)

By Paulo Nery, January 06, 2009
Source: RenewableEnergyStocks.com
http://renewableenergystocks.com/Companies/
ViewDocument.asp?ID=5697

The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is clearly in a rapid growth phase. The worldwide industry size was recently estimated at $50 billion. Over the past few years, production capacity is thought to have grown at an average of 48% each year and cumulative global production is now at 12.4 Giga Watts (GW). It is also an industry on the brink of change. New technologies are emerging that seem certain have an impact on the entire shape of the PV industry. (more…)

By Matt Nauman, Silicon Valley Mercury News / 2 Jan 2009
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11358068?nclick_check=1

Despite the turbulent economy, or perhaps because of it, solar energy remains a growth industry in California.  The amount of electricity generated in the state by solar energy soared in 2008, and applications for rebates under the state’s Million Solar Roofs program reached record levels in the last five months of the year.  “While we don’t have the final numbers yet, it appears we nearly doubled the amount of solar installed in 2008 versus 2007,” said Molly Tirpak Sterkel, director of the California Solar Initiative. “That’s a magnificent story.” (more…)

Staff Reporter, Rosemead, CA, Dec 19, 2008
Source: Indiajournal.com
http://www.indiajournal.com/pages/event.php?id=5421

Southern California Edison (SCE) has completed the first of its proposed 150 solar photovoltaic installations on Southern California commercial rooftops. The project could eventually cover two square miles of existing commercial roofs with 250 million watts of peak generating capacity – equivalent to building several utility-scale solar power plants. (more…)

by Karin Kloosterman, Jan 8th, 2009
Source: GreenProphet.com
http://greenprophet.com/2009/01/08/5807/solar-csp-iran/

Does a country that “promises” to wipe Israel off the map have a right to create nuclear energy for “power?” I must admit, news that Iran is looking to create power from solar energy puts some of my (irrational?) fears of living in Israel aside. According to the Iran Daily, Iran’s first solar powered station has been inaugurated.  The new plant is a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant, similar to one in Spain which reflects light to a central tower.   The plant was inaugurated at the beginning of 2009, in Shiraz, the Fars province. The CSP system uses parabolic mirrors which focuses sun onto a tube of water. Eventually becoming super-heated, steam in the tube is used to turn electricity-generating turbines. (more…)