Solar America Initative News
August 20, 2008
PG&E Signs Contracts for 800 Megawatts of Solar Photovoltaic Power
It wasn't long ago that anyone building a 1-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility would be among the world's leaders, but a clear sign of the rapidly expanding solar power market is the plan for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to buy power from two solar projects totaling 800 megawatts. More
August 20, 2008
NREL Solar Cell Sets World-Record Conversion Efficiency of 40.8%
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has once again shattered the world record for solar cell efficiency with a cell that converts 40.8% of the sunlight hitting it into electricity. And while there's no gold metal for solar cells, the design has won one of this year's top awards for innovation. More
August 13, 2008
New York Expands Renewable Net Metering and Green Roof Incentives
New York has approved an energy package that allows non-residential customers to earn credit for power fed into the grid from wind and solar power systems, while expanding the limits for such "net metering" at farms and homes. It also provides tax cuts for green and solar roofs in New York City. More
August 13, 2008
DOE to Invest in Grid Integration Systems for Solar Energy
DOE announced on August 12 that it plans to invest up to $24 million over a number of years to develop products that connect solar power systems with the electrical grid in an interactive way. DOE has selected 12 industry teams to receive $2.9 million in the current fiscal year. More
August 12, 2008
DOE to Invest up to $24 Million for Breakthrough Solar Energy Products
Twelve industry teams will partner with DOE to advance the integration of solar energy systems into the U.S. electrical grid More
July 30, 2008
Report: California Utilities Lead the Nation in Solar Energy
The latest report from the Solar Electric Power Association finds that California utilities lead the nation in installed solar power capacity and in solar capacity per customer, but the growth of solar power in other states may soon threaten California's leadership. More
July 23, 2008
Large-Scale U.S. Solar Power Facilities Becoming Commonplace
Large solar power facilities are planned for locations throughout the country, including solar thermal power plants in California, New Mexico, and Florida, and megawatt-scale solar photovoltaic power projects in Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. More
July 16, 2008
Interior Department Moves Ahead on Offshore Renewable Energy
The Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior has published a proposed rule for the regulation of renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf, including wind, wave, solar, and ocean current projects, as well as projects to generate hydrogen. More
July 9, 2008
Massachusetts Doubles Renewable Energy Requirements for Utilities
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has approved a comprehensive energy bill that doubles the rate of increase in the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard from 0.5% per year to 1% per year. The bill also addresses net metering, energy efficiency, building energy codes, and clean vehicles. More
July 9, 2008
BLM to Continue Accepting Applications for Solar Energy Projects
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has decided to continue accepting applications for future solar energy projects on public lands as it prepares a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to address the impacts of solar energy development in six Western states. More