Happy Friday, everyone. Here’s a rundown of today’s top solar energy news stories, for your reading pleasure…

The solar energy market is “on fire” in California, according to The Energy Source, a Forbes blog: “Even though state subsidies in California are falling, there were applications for nearly as many megawatts of commercial, residential and government solar power in California in the first four months of 2010 than there were in all of 2009.” Booyah.

The first phase of a one-megawatt Florida solar installation is underway, via MarketWatch. While Florida gets plenty of sunshine, state lawmakers have struggled to devise and consistently fund a set of solar energy incentives. As a result, demand for Florida solar home electric systems has fluctuated greatly in recent years.

The New Hampshire legislature yesterday blocked a measure that would have allowed the state’s largest utility, Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), to build a one-megawatt solar installation atop a landfill, via Union Leader. At issue (surprise, surprise) is money — the use of ratepayers’ money, to be exact. Follow PSNH on Twitter.

In Oregon solar news, SolarWorld — the U.S. branch of German solar-panel maker SolarWorld AG — is boosting production at its manufacturing facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, via BrighterEnergy.org. To that end, the company is hiring 350 workers. Governor Ted Kulongoski has this to say: “SolarWorld is a great Oregon success story. This next phase opens the doors of opportunity for hundreds of Oregonians seeking employment and advances the production of clean, renewable energy.”

In Connecticut solar news, the Northwestern Regional School is the proud owner of a brand new $3.5 million solar installation, according to The Register Citizen News. (Check out the video at the bottom of the article.)

In other solar schools-related news, Milpitas Unified School District in California is surpassing its goals under a solar energy program launched with Chevron Energy Solutions two years ago, via San Jose Mercury News. Not only is the district doing good from an environmental standpoint. It’s also saving a ton of cash on electricity costs: “the district has successfully hedged the increasing electricity costs through the solar program and delivered savings to the general fund,” [Lindsey] Corbin [of Chevron Energy Solutions] said. She added the 2009 savings by going solar was $51,568.”

Finally today, a story of interest for Californians and energy policy wonks: the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) yesterday voted 4-1 to temporarily stop California utilities from buying renewable energy credits (RECs) generated beyond state boundaries, via SignOnSanDeigo. The vote puts on pause the commission’s decision, eight weeks earlier, to grant utilities freedom to use out-of-state RECs to meet their renewable energy obligations. California utilities are scrambling to meet 20 percent of their energy mix with qualifying renewable resources. By 2020, a third of California’s electricity is supposed to come from sources like wind, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal and hydro power. Commission officials will continue to work toward a final set of rules on REC requirements.

That’s all for today — thanks, as always, for reading. Have a great weekend. We’ll see you back here on Monday.