SunEdison & Omnigrid Bring Solar to India

Joanna Schroeder

SunEdison and Omnigrid Micropower Company Pvt. Ltd. have signed a framework agreement to develop 5,000 rural projects, representing 250 megawatts (MW) of electricity, throughout India over the next three to five years. Nearly 400 million people in India have no access to electricity. For those who do, the options are fossil fuel-based and expensive. To bring more reliable power to …

Electricity, International, Solar

California Governor Outlines Energy Goals

Cindy Zimmerman

Sworn in for his second, second term as Governor of the state of California on Monday, Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown, Jr. outlined three energy-related goals he would like to see the state accomplish within the next 15 years. “First, increase from one-third to 50 percent our electricity derived from renewable sources,” said Gov. Brown in his inaugural address. “Two – …

Energy, Government, Solar

Solar Tariff Ups Solar Costs, Hurts Consumers

Joanna Schroeder

A final decision has been made by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding solar tariffs on solar parts assembled in China using components from a third country. The decision created a Separate Rates Group that will be subject to an AD tariff of 52.13 percent and a CVD tariff of 38.72 percent. For example, Yingli will be subject to a …

Electricity, International, Solar

NY Gov Andrew Cuomo Bans Fracking

Joanna Schroeder

There is big news coming out of New York today with the announcement that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has banned hydraulic fracking in the state. The news came on the heels of a study that was released concluding that fracking could pose, “significant public health risks.” “The Sierra Club applauds Governor Cuomo for recognizing what the science has made …

Oil, Renewable Energy, Solar

South Carolina Adds Solar Net Metering

Joanna Schroeder

As 2014 comes to a close, South Carolina became the 44th state to institute net metering. The news comes on the heels of the announcement that New York has set a significant net metering cap expansion. The New York Public Service Commission agreed to double the allowable rooftop solar capacity for solar net metering. The solar market has already created …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

ET Solar Collaborates on Israel Project

Joanna Schroeder

ET Solutions AG (subsidiary of ET Solar) has been selected to provide services for a 40 MWp PV power plant in Israel. The solar project is located in Kibbutz Ketura, approximately 45 km north of Eilat, and will be built in a desert land of 600,000 square meters. This new solar power facility is expected to generate over 70,000 megawatt …

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Solar

Students Learn About the Power of the Sun

Joanna Schroeder

Green Power EMC has released an updated curriculum and enhanced in-class learning laboratory featuring solar power. The program was developed by schools participating in their SunPower for Schools partnership program. The curriculum provides solar arrays on school grounds and software for use in the classroom that when used together allow students to monitor real-time data on solar energy production. Currently, …

Education, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

North Carolina Adds 3 Solar Projects

Joanna Schroeder

Three new utility-scale solar farms have been added to North Carolina’s energy mix. The solar projects are located on rural farmland in Erwin, Efland and Hickory, North Carolina and total 18 MW of solar energy. The projects were completed by a partnership of Sol Systems, National Cooperative Bank and Strata Solar. These projects follow the successful deployment of 18.2 MW …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Light This Holiday Season with Luci

Joanna Schroeder

It is estimated 1.4 billion people, largely in developing communities, live without access to grid electricity. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, 90 million primary students are without electricity. And, each year, indoor pollution from dirty fuels results in four million deaths. To address this issue, the creators of Luci, MPOWERD, have partnered with FCB Garfinkel and the composers from Found Objects to …

Education, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar, Video

U.S. Solar Market Hits 2nd Best Quarter Ever

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. solar market has had another record setting quarter. According to the latest edition of U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, the U.S. installed 1,354 megawatts (MW) of solar PV in Q3 2014. The report is released by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and found that installation was up 40 percent over the same period last …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar