Good morning, USA! Happy Monday. I spent my entire weekend — literally 48 hours — combing the Web for the world’s most important solar energy stories. It’s not only a job, here at GetSolar, it’s a lifestyle… Anyway, enough banter. Among the most interesting stories: a 30-megawatt deal involving First Solar and Ted Turner; a solar-powered highway project, courtesy of SMUD; and a quick look at Morocco’s renewable energy ambitions.
Thin-film manufacturer First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) today announced it sold a 30-megawatt (AC) solar energy installation to Southern Company (NYSE:SO) and Turner Renewable Energy. First Solar is providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the Cimarron I Solar Project, which is located in northern New Mexico. The project will supply electricity to about 9,000 homes, or 18,000 residents, and will displace over 45,000 of carbon-dioxide per year. Today’s news comes nearly two months after GetSolar reported Turner Renewable Energy owner Ted Turner would be re-entering the renewable energy space.
For those of you in Marin County, Calif., the Marin Energy Authority is today offering a public workshop on net metering, via Marin Independent Journal. The solar net-metering workshop will be from noon to 2 p.m. in the Marin County Civic Center planning chambers, Room 328, at the county Civic Center in San Rafael.
Also in California solar news, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) will use part of a $5 million grant from the U.S. Dept. of Energy to build a “solar highway,” reports the Sacramento Bee. The utility’s grant application detailed two solar installations — a combined capacity of 2.5 megawatts — running along Highway 50. GetSolar’s Connie Zheng reported on SMUD’s plans back in January. We also covered in 2008 Oregon’s plans for a solar-powered highway, the first in the country.
A third California solar news story? Yup. Via SignOnSanDiego.com: the California Public Utilities Commission on Friday voted in favor of allowing San Diego Gas & Electrric Co. (SDG&E) and other California utilities to use tradable renewable energy credits to meet state renewable energy requirements. What does this mean? California electricity providers will be allowed purchase clean energy that is generated beyond state lines — in, say, Arizona — an apply the associated credits to meet its renewable energy obligations. The Governator had been pushing for this policy change a long time. And the state’s utilities were unlikely to meet the state’s requirements without it. Confused? Check out this light-hearted and informative piece from Lee Barken, writing for Greentech Media.
Turns out the U.S. isn’t the only country concerned by China’s growing cleantech prowess. Over the weekend, The Times of India quoted Jairam Ramesh, the country’s environment minister, as saying: “Of the top ten solar energy companies across the globe four are Chinese. If India does not scale up in terms of research in the field of solar energy then ten years down the line we may end up buying it from Chinese companies.”
Also in international solar news, Morocco is opening its doors for business in a bid to boost domestic energy production, according to MenaFN.com: “Lacking the hydrocarbons reserves of its neighbors, Morocco currently imports 97 percent of its energy. … the government has turned to developing its renewable energy capacity. Under the current national energy strategy, up to 10 percent of Morocco’s energy will come from renewable sources by 2012.”
That’s all for today. Keep it tuned to our feed and stay plugged in with GetSolar.
New blog post: Solar Power Rundown for Monday, March 15 http://www.getsolar.com/blog/solar-power-rundown-for-monday-march-15/4474/