Solar Cells Info

By Tanya Rose, Contra Costa Times
Source: San Jose Mercury News, 25 April 2008
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9060225?nclick_check=1

Almost four years ago, fish shop owner and Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor installed a $60,000 set of energy-saving solar panels on top of his Tidewater Court home. He now runs his backyard Koi fish pond through the system — that’s two water pumps going around-the-clock, plus indoor electric appliances, running off of solar power. Last year, his electric bills totaled $538, down from about $6,000 per year in pre-panel days. “I have no regrets, even with the panels being so expensive,” he said. He got a $20,000 rebate as part of the California Solar Initiative, which was instituted in 2007 by the state and is available to every homeowner. That, plus other discounts, brought the cost of the panels down to $23,000. (more…)

Windsor, CA, March 17, 2008
Source: SPG Solar press release
http://www.spgsolar.com/press_GoSolarSonoma.html

Having just completed one of the most successful community discount programs in California as the exclusive solar provider for GoSolarMarin, SPG Solar responds to the requests of Sonoma County residents and offers GoSolarSonoma™. The SPG Solar GoSolarSonoma™ Community Discount Program offers a 10-20% discount to Sonoma County homeowners interested in going solar. (more…)

San Diego, CA, April 16, 2008
Source: Point Loma Nazarene Univ. / FoxBusiness
http://www.foxbusiness.com/article/point-loma-nazarene-university-announces-plan-build-450-kw-solar-energy-campus_566299_1.html

Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) announced today plans to build a 450 kW solar energy system on its campus. What began as a student research project on the viability of solar energy for PLNU soon developed into a collaborative effort between students, staff and faculty that resulted in an official Request for Proposal and bidding process. With construction slated to begin this July, this will be the first large commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system for a San Diego university. (more…)

Source: international.news.bg /April 9, 2008
http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_490361042

Near Pazardjik city (Southern Bulgaria) will be build the biggest solar station in Eastern Europe.  It is foreseen to be located over an area of 2,000 sq m.  The mayor of Pazardjik already had entered into the municipality council suggestion for the purchase of the land, estimated to almost 480,000 BGN (240,000 EUR). The investments are on the amount of over 30 million BGN (15 million EUR). (more…)

By Yuliya Chernova, Dow Jones Newsletters
New York, April 09, 2008
source: Dow Jones /Money.CNN.Com
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200804091313DOWJONESDJONLINE000905_FORTUNE5.htm

New York City plans to issue a request for proposals to solar-power system installers to bring two megawatts of solar power onto the roofs of city-owned buildings, but the initiative will have to cut through significant red tape and other challenges before it can take off.  While this move is significant in that it shows the city’s interest to test solar as part of its electricity supply, there are several issues that need resolution. On the one hand, the city’s electric utility, Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED), has a current limit of 10 kilowatts per installation of solar that it will accept on the grid, and that may be too small to accomplish the scale proposed by the city. On the other hand, the total size of the RFP is relatively small and the city would likely need to throw in a potentially longer-term relationship to attract some of the larger systems installers.
(more…)

SolarCity Recipient of Prestigious Aspen Energy and Environment Award
Foster City, CA, March 27, 2008
Source: Solar City press release /PRNewswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-27-2008/0004781449

SolarCity, California’s leading provider of solar energy systems, today announced that the company was chosen as part of a distinguished group of winners of the first annual Aspen Energy and Environment Awards, which will be presented at a ceremony on March 29, 2008, during the inaugural Aspen Environment Forum in Aspen, CO. (more…)

by Ines Rutschmann
Source: PHOTON International, April 2008
http://www.photon-international.com/news_archiv/details.aspx?cat=News_PI&sub=europe&pub=4&parent=970

Conergy AG‘s Spanish subsidiary Epuron SLU has begun construction on the Iberian peninsula on a large project based on tracking installations. The El Calaverón solar park near Villarrobledo in Castile-La Mancha is being built on a 90 hectare site. It is slated to have 20 MW of capacity. Two other parks that Epuron is currently building in Spain are the 3 MW plant Chinchilla II, in the Castillian region of Albacete, which is close to being completed, and Écija, a 1.5 MW system being built in Seville, Andalusia. (more…)

Vancouver, B.C., March 19, 2008
Source: Xantrex Technology Inc. /press release
http://www.xantrex.com/web/did/1798/readnews.asp

Xantrex Technology Inc. (TSX:XTX) announces the launch of its Xantrex™ Gateway monitoring system, an innovative wireless monitoring solution for small scale solar power installations.  The Xantrex Gateway is the central communication component of a residential or small commercial solar energy system. It keeps the system owner informed about the system’s operation and energy production from any location. The Gateway’s wireless capability bridges the gap between Xantrex single phase grid tie (GT) inverters and the system owner’s computer.
(more…)

Ewing, N.J., March 11, 2008
Source: WorldWater & Solar Technologies / press release/ BusinessWire
http://www.worldwater.com/pages-news/1-News-OceanCity-3-11-08.html
Council Chooses WorldWater to Build Largest Municipal Solar Installation in New Jersey

WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp., developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar systems, today announced that the City Council of Ocean City, NJ has awarded the Company a contract to build a $4 million solar system for the City which is expected to produce nearly 550,000 kilowatt hours of energy in its first year. The Ocean City Municipal Solar Energy Power Project will include roof mounts on the Cultural Arts and Community Center, the new Public Works Complex building, the Vehicle Maintenance Center and the Sports and Civic Center. (more…)

Ewing, N.J., February 21, 2008
Source:WorldWater Solar Technologies.com /press release
http://www.worldwater.com/pages-news/1-News-Denver-2-22-08.html

On February 21, 2008 members of the WorldWater & Solar Technolgies team and airport staff celebrated the official groundbreaking for the installation of a 2 MW solar system at Denver International Airport (DIA). (more…)