What’s the solar energy news this morning? It’s all about the solar-powered planes, trains and automobiles. (Not to mention solar-powered space ships.) We’ll keep the solar info blitz short and sweet today — we know it’s Friday…

The world’s biggest thin-film maker, Tempe, Ariz.-based First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR), confirmed it has set up an R&D lab in Silicon Valley, according to Reuters. Why is this a big deal? Apparently the company has never publicly discussed its Silicon Valley operations. First Solar manufacturers non-silicon-based solar thin film, using Cadmium telluride (“cad-tel,” in industry speak). Thin film made with a second alternative to silicon — copper indium gallium diselenide, or CIGS — is said to be in the works, with some observers speculating that this research is being conducted at the Silicon Valley facility. Bottom line? Reuters will have a much bigger, much more important story to report on if First Solar can ultimately deliver on its promise of really cheap, really efficient, solar technology.

In Arizona solar energy news, American Solar Electric, a solar installation and design firm, on Wednesday announced plans to expand its operations, via ABC 15. Headquartered in Scottsdale, the company will add a distribution facility in Phoenix to support new business in the West Valley, Tucson and Northern Arizona. The expansion could create as many as 50 new jobs.

In related Arizona solar news, be sure to check out this timely story from the L.A. Times profiling the state’s recent efforts to “become a center for clean energy manufacturing and generation.” One of the article’s central themes is the potential for synergy — and competition — between Arizona’s solar industry and California’s solar industry. Great pull quote: “Arizona has clearly been forward-looking in how do they monetize the desert.”

A few thousand miles to the north and east of Arizona, Ontario, Canada, has OK’d some 184 renewable energy projects under its feed-in tariff scheme, via TheStreet.com. Together, these projects represent 2.5 gigawatts of clean energy generation capacity. Go Ontario! Related reading: “Canadian Solar to Build Facility in Ontario.”

Finally, if you want to follow the on-going drama in Los Angeles (which surprisingly involved politicians, not Hollywood stars), check out this post from L.A. Daily. It involves lots of money, threats and the biggest municipal utility in the country. Don’t you just love politics?

That’s all for this Friday. Have a safe, relaxing weekend — and we’ll see you back here on Monday.