The US Energy Department’s (DOE) loan-guarantee is walking a fine line these days, which cannot make life any easier for 1366 Technologies and SoloPower as they prepare to receive funding from the same DOE guarantee that failed solar companies Solyndra and Abound Solar partook in. A report by Bloomberg noted that both 1366 Technologies and SoloPower qualified for guarantees last year and are currently working to meet milestone in order to gain access to the credit.
IKEA recently brought its 22nd solar project online at its Tampa, Florida store. Developed, designed and installed by REC Solar, the 1,189kW system uses 4,956 PV panels and is built across 148,800 square feet of the store’s rooftop space. The companies expect for the array to produce around 1,792,300kWh of electricity per year.
During Intersolar North America’s opening session in San Francisco this week, the US Department of Energy’s (DoE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced its membership of the newly-formed Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes.
Valos Solar Ventures and Gehrlicher Solar have entered a joint-development agreement, the company has announced. Under the agreement, the companies are developing solar power sites for Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) and other municipal utilities for RFO, RAM and RFPs. Altogether, 235MW of projects are being developed with Gehrlicher offering EPC services for the large-scale PV plants.
Swedish retailer IKEA has connected the 21st solar system at its store in Woodbridge, Virginia, the company has announced. Gehrlicher Solar developed and installed the 504kW PV system, equipped with 2,100 PV panels, on 63,000ft² of IKEA’s rooftop. IKEA has 18 more systems to install at US stores to reach its goal of installing a total of 38MW of systems.
Bryan Crabb has joined the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) as its new executive director. Crabb comes to CALSEIA after serving as director of government affairs at both First Solar and OptiSolar. He is lauded as having vast experience in solar policy as well as legislative and regulatory experience.
Bloomberg has reported that General Electric (GE) will be putting the construction of its Colorado-based solar panel factory on hold for at least 18 months. Lindsay Theile, GE spokeswoman, noted that sharp price declines and a global oversupply of panels were factors in the company’s decision.
Hawaiian electrical contractor Helix Electric has been supplied with 7.2MW of solar modules from ET Solar, the company has announced. The modules will be used to equip the Port Allen solar farm on the island of Kaua’i, Hawaii. The generated energy will be sold under a 20-year PPA to Kaua’i Island Utility.
Martier Solar’s expansion plans are slowly being realized with a 229kW PV solar system at Hertz’s global headquarters in Park Ridge, New Jersey, US. This is one of a series of approximately 15 PV systems designed and installed at Hertz facilities around the US. The array is expected to produce more than 263,000kWh of renewable energy on an annual basis.
Greentech Media reports that New Jersey’s Senate and General Assembly have agreed to pass the solar “resurrection bill” (A-2966), voting to approve the substitutions and amendments. The legislation is said to potentially sustain a healthy rate of solar project development and job growth in the state.
