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Alternative Energy & Carbon Footprinting: International Survey Reveals Business Attitudes. Companies’ attitudes towards alternative energy and carbon footprinting are revealed in the results of an international research study. The survey was conducted by the independent market research company Harris Interactive on behalf of Dow Corning Corporation. Survey Results Summary Alternative Energy - 1 in 4 companies [...]
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TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evolution Solar Corporation (Pink Sheets: EVSO) announced today that solar stocks rallied on news of what is expected to become the largest on-grid solar power station in China. Shares of China Technology Development Group Corp. (NASDAQ:CTDC) rose as much as 39% Friday after the company announced it signed an agreement with another China based solar-power company, Qinghai New Energy Group Co., to build a new 30 MW solar-power station.

"Evolution Solar Corporation's Xiemen Group has been very successful in sourcing every aspect of solar not only in China but throughout Asia to include Solar Panels, cells, wafers, ingots, racking/tracking equipment, inverters, and silicon. Our office in Shanghai continues to focus on solar hot water heaters and wind turbines and their components. We are also working very hard to introduce our solar air conditioning unit to the U.S. market in the first quarter of 2009," stated Michael Franklin, director of Asian Operations.

The rally in solar stocks extended across the entire solar industry. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR), the largest manufacturer of thin film, saw its stock rise $13.54 per share, U.S. solar equipment maker GT Solar Int. (NASDAQ:SOLR) was up 24.6%, U.S. cell maker SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ:SPWRA) was up 12.8%, and Chinese solar cell maker JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ:JASO) closed up 12.6%

EWING, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp. (OTC BB: WWAT.OB), developer and marketer of proprietary high-horsepower solar systems, today announced that it has completed installation of a 1.1 MW solar power system for the Valley Center Municipal Water District (VCMWD) of Valley Center, California. The system, which was financed and will be owned, operated, and maintained by Solar Power Partners, Inc. (SPP) of Mill Valley, California, will provide 2.1 million kWh per year of electricity for the district, offsetting up to 20% of the electricity required by their largest pumping station.

The project was developed using a solar Power Purchase Agreement, which required no cash outlay from VCMWD, who will purchase the generated power from SPP for the twenty-five year life of the agreement.

“I am pleased to announce the successful completion of our flat-plate solar installation at Valley Center, on schedule and to the client’s specifications,” said Frank Smith, CEO, WorldWater and Solar Technologies. “This is another example of our ability to deliver ‘best in class’ solar technology to large commercial clients, as we did for Denver International Airport and Fresno Yosemite International Airport. The experience gained from these installations will serve us well as we look to bring our ENTECH CPV and CPVT modules to the market this year.”

“Solar Power Partners is proud to partner with WorldWater and Valley Center on this exciting solar solution. This facility is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when water districts adopt solar and support renewable energy,” said Alexander v. Welczeck, President and CEO of Solar Power Partners.

“After almost three years of negotiating, planning, and implementation, it is very rewarding to finally see this 'double green' project come to life,” says Gary Arant, General Manager, Valley Center Municipal Water District. “This will provide long-term financial benefits for our agency and community, as well as a reduced carbon production environment - thus double green.”

Additional partners on this project included Sharp Solar, which supplied the panels for the project, and Xantrex Technology Inc., a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, which provided the inverters.

ROSEVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Solar Power, Inc. (“SPI”) (OTCBB:SOPW) has entered into a one-year supply agreement with JA Solar Holding Co., Ltd. (“JA Solar”) (NASDAQ:JASO). JA Solar has committed to supply up to 60 megawatts of its 6” polycrystalline photovoltaic (“PV”) cells based on monthly requirements from SPI. Based in Hebei, China, JA Solar is one of the world’s top producers of high-performance solar cells. The cells will be used for the ongoing production of SPI’s solar modules and to meet growing demand for the company’s products in Europe, Asia, and for turnkey systems in the United States. Supply to SPI begins immediately.

“We are excited about our agreement with JA Solar. Their products are known for quality and performance and we are very fortunate to be able to integrate them into our own,” said Steve Kircher, CEO Solar Power, Inc. “This is a true strategic relationship with strong mutual benefit. It will allow us to leverage our vertical integration business model through a significant amount of supply and we will be able to offer competitive pricing that we believe is unprecedented,” Mr. Kircher added. “It also provides our SPI commercial operations and our growing Yes! Solar Solutions^TM franchise network with strong advantages in cost of installation and will have a significant positive effect on our competitive position relative to international sales,” Mr. Kircher concluded.

The agreement provides SPI with immediate supply of high-quality cells to meet anticipated production requirements of the company’s family of solar modules during 2009. “We are happy to be providing Solar Power, Inc. with cells for their high-quality PV modules,” said Mr. Samuel Yang, CEO of JA Solar Holding Co., Ltd. “This agreement represents a strategic alliance between our company and one of the leading solar solution providers in the world today. Through SPI we will be able to expand sales of our cells and gain deeper penetration into the U.S. market.”

Hawaii is a place where the sun shines all year through. So this means that it is really a good thing to invest in solar panels if you are in this area.

With that, it can be said that the Shidler College of Business which is a part of the whole Manoa campus of the University of Hawaii is going to do a good move. See, in a piece of news I came across today, it has been reported that this business college of the University of Hawaii is going to install solar panels.

The whole solar power system of the college is going to produce around 4.5 kilowatts of power. It cost $50,000 and thanks to Jay Shidler who donated the amount to the college. After all, the college has been named after him. Shidler is currently an investor in real estate and is also an entrepreneur.

I hope to hear about the whole university getting all solar as well.

Source: Pacific Business News

Tags: Jay Shidler, Shidley College of Business, Solar, solar power system, solar-power, University of Hawaii

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Filed under: Solar, Honda, Green Daily, Pacific Region

If you are going to bill yourselves as the World's Greenest Automaker, as Honda does from time to time, you'd better be willing to back it up. Luckily, Honda always seems to be looking for a way to do just that. Whether it's by offering the best overall fuel economy in the United States or powering billboards with solar power, Honda is often a step ahead. Wait, hold on... powering billboards with solar power? Yep, in the land of Oz at least, Honda has partnered up with APN Outdoor to create Australia's first eco-friendly outdoor advertisements. The solar panels provide power when possible and a backup electrical connection that gets its power from a green feed is there to pick up the slack. This may be a small thing, but we'll take it. We should also mention that Honda has invested in solar technology itself, with its Soltec subsidiary opening for business in 2006 and now selling panels for residential or commercial use.

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Honda advertises cars with green hybrid billboards

Honda advertises cars with green hybrid billboards originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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
California Water District Deploys 1.1MW Solar Array
The system is for the Valley Center Municipal Water District (VCMWD) in Valley Center, CA was financed and will be owned, operated and maintained by Solar Power Partners Inc.

Sempra solar energy project makes advances in costs
An analyst says a Sempra Generation project powering California homes beats conventional sources on cost-effectiveness.

NATIONAL NEWS
Will Solar Save Chip Companies?
As the semiconductor industry prepares to post a rare drop in revenues, with another decline expected next year, it's no wonder that many chip companies are shifting their hopes to solar power.

Evergreen Solar Shuts Pilot Factory, Takes $25M Write Off
The move should help the Marlboro, Mass.-based company save money, a much-needed move as it tries to weather the recession.

Evolution Solar Comments on Solar Stock Rally
Evolution Solar Corporation announced today that solar stocks rallied on news of what is expected to become the largest on-grid solar power station in China.

Arizona Manufactured Solar Panels Enter Market
The agreement initially calls for Solon to supply over 1.5 megawatts (MW) of its Tucson-manufactured solar panels to American Solar Electric, marking Solon's entrance into the U.S. residential market segment.

UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS
Duke's Solar Program Regulated By N.C. Utilities Commission
The N.C. Utilities Commission has attached conditions to their approval of Duke Energy Carolinas' proposed $50M solar energy initiative. The main restriction is a limitation on the amount of money Duke can recover under the state's renewable-energy law.

Nuclear Energy More Expensive than some Clean Power, Study Says
According to a new analysis from Climate Progress, existing nuclear power plant technology can generate electricity at no less than $0.25 to $0.30 per kilowatt-hour (including fuel and O&M, excluding distribution) for the first year of operation.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
What the Green Industry Wants from Obama
The incoming president is getting a long list of ideas from greentech companies that expect him to provide money and policies quickly to help them survive the recession and more.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Yingli & Goldbeck Sign 15MW PV Module Deal
Under the terms of the contract, Yingli is expected to supply a minimum of 15 megawatts (MW) of PV modules to Goldbeck Solar in 2009.

SPI & JA Solar Enter 60MW Solar Cell Deal
The cells will be used for the ongoing production of SPI's solar modules and supply to SPI begins immediately.

LDK Solar Lowers Sales Outlook, Delays Factory Plan
The Chinese silicon wafer maker saw its fourth-quarter sales drop by 23 percent as customers delayed taking deliveries. Stock fell 15 percent.

Day4 Energy Decreases Work Force by 95 People
Day4 Energy Inc. has implemented a reduction in its overall head count affecting approximately 95 people primarily at its Burnaby production facility.

Sanyo to Cut 1,000 Workers
Sanyo is considering cutting up to 1,000 domestic workers in the next few months, as it scales back unprofitable businesses ahead of an expected buyout by Panasonic. The company will also continue reassigning workers to its solar and rechargeable battery divisions, which have stronger growth prospects.

Juwi Completes 40MW Waldpolenz Plant
The juwi group announced the completion of the Waldpolenz energy park in Brandis, in eastern Germany, ahead of schedule in December 2008.

Are you in California and interested in solar for your home? Call us at 877.SUN.MOJO or visit our website to learn more.

Every week or so, we write about new solar gadgets and innovations that are hitting the market. In the past we’ve seen Solar Bees and solar powered bags, among others. Solar gadgets are great first step toward any energy-saving resolutions you might be devising. To help you usher in a greener New Year, here are three new solar products that may make big headlines in 2009:

3. Solar Wifi

Solar Wifi really takes the wire out of wireless. From Meraki, these self-powered wireless devices can take solar and Internet access into new realms.

2. Solar Lamp by Sony

Sony’s new prototype in solar powered lighting is the first solar lamp to use dye-sensitized solar cells. These cells mimic the process of photosynthesis to produce light. Success for Sony’s prototype could mean a solar gadget revolution in 2009.

Artist Talk: Ecoartspace, Solar One and Ronald Feldman Gallery are pleased to present an Artist's Talk with collaborative team and Eco Art pioneers, Newton and Helen Mayer Harrison. They will speak in New York City at the Ronald Feldman Gallery on Tuesday, January 13th at 6pm in conjunction with their new exhibition Global Warming (opening on January 10th).

SPACE IS LIMITED: TO RSVP contact Sarah Paulson at (212) 226-3232 sarah@feldmangallery.com
or amy@ecoartspace.org

Where:  Ronald Feldman Gallery | 31 Mercer Street (at Grand Street)

When: January 13th | 6pm

About the Artists: Among the leading pioneers of the eco-art movement, the collaborative team of Newton and Helen Mayer Harrison (often referred to simply as “the Harrisons”) have worked for over thirty years with biologists, ecologists and urban planners to initiate collaborative dialogues to uncover ideas and solutions which support biodiversity and community development.

The Harrison's concept of art embraces a breathtaking range of disciplines. They are historians, diplomats, ecologists, investigators, emissaries and art activists. Their work involves proposing solutions and involves not only public discussion, but extensive mapping and documentation of these proposals in an art context. (From www.greenmuseum.org)

I went to HongKong Disneyland with my family last Halloween 2008 and while in one of the malls, we took a break at  a local Starbucks and I noticed this recycling box.

The transparent recycling container is a very nice idea.  People noticed the empty plastic bottles inside so they feel that they should do the same.

Starbucks in other countries don't even have any recycling boxes available.  Just ordinary trash bins.  I hope all Starbucks around the world would have one of these.

Before leaving Starbucks, I asked my son to throw our empty water plastic bottles in there.  It's nice to teach your kids about recycling and let them be a part of the process.

Incidentally, last Christmas, in my son's pre-school,  they had a sort of recycling fund raising campaign where kids were asked to bring recyclable items like plastic bottles, and old newspapers.  They were able to sell these to a junkshop and were able to raise some money for their Christmas party.

image source:  Noel Bautista (work at home dad)

Tags: plastic bottles, recycling, starbucks

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