Your daily dose of photovoltaic technology developments and solar news

Solar Power, Inc. has embarked on a new solar system installation project that will see the company set up eight PV systems at seven schools and a district office in Baldwin Park, California. The Baldwin Park Unified School District (BPUSD) has commissioned the project, which will total 2.24MW on completion, with the aim of saving an estimated $22.6 million in electricity costs.

Johns Manville (JM) has reached an agreement with SolarFrameWorks that will see the latter supply its proprietary BIPV CoolPly solar roofing components to JM, who will market these products through its JM E³ Company.

The Clean Technology Fund (CTF) has given CSP development in the Middle East and North Africa regions a boost with the approval of financing of US$750 million, which will pave the way for an additional US$4.85 billion from other sources. The fund will provide investment in CSP programs for Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, with a planned 900MW of installed CSP plants by 2020.

Kerself S.p.A has signed a letter of intent with Meta System S.p.A in order to secure ownership of Albatech Srl. With the letter of intent, Kerself will own 75% stake of Albatech by the end of 2009 and the additional 25% by the end of 2010.

Indonesia recently announced its plan to build 250 solar power plants that will total 2.2MW by 2014 so that they can supply the country’s rural areas with electricity. The proposed project is expected to cost around $84 million.

First Solar Development Canada is planning a 186-hectare, 20MW solar farm near Belmont, London, which has the potential to produce enough electricity to power 3000 homes. The company and its proposed project will be the first to go through the new Ontario process aimed to speed renewable energy projects. First Solar’s proposed project spans three municipalities and two counties. Ontario’s Energy Minister George Smitherman said in September that after submitting the paperwork to local officials, all renewable energy projects must now go through a new provincial approvals process.

TÜV SÜD America Inc. has combined efforts with Renewable Energy Test Centre LLC (RETC)—a partnership that will speed up the certification process for renewable energy technologies.

During a speech to the annual meeting of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences earlier this week, President Barack Obama outlined major increases in spending on science and technology in his budget plan, including significant amounts for work in solar and other renewable energy research. He also called for the R&D tax credit to be made permanent.