In today’s edition of the Rundown, we’ve got it all: better-than-anticipated earnings from a Chinese panel-making giant; a politician who’s aiming to save Florida a lot of energy and some serious cash; font that is inexplicably smaller than usual; and two smart Indians who discuss their country’s solar-powered future. What more could you want? Read on:

Arizona Public Service (APS) yesterday got approval to own and operate a number of utility-scale solar installations, reports the Phoenix Business Journal. Under the AZ Sun Program, APS will install 100 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) panels between 2010 and 2014. Upon announcing her organization’s approval for the projects, Arizona Corporation Commission Chairwoman (ACC) Kris Mayes had this to say: “The approval of the AZ Sun program will solidify Arizona’s status as the solar energy hub of the nation. The solar energy projects approved today will provide Arizonans with cleaner energy, more stable rates and hundreds of new jobs.” Once completed, the solar installations will be the first to be owned by APS. On a related, and very important, topic — energy efficiency — APS announced it will increase incentives for new-construction homes that meet a new, higher standard for efficiency.

Want more on energy efficiency? Florida State Rep. Joe Gibbons today has an Op-Ed in the Tallahassee Democrat. Essentially it’s a plug for HB 77, a bill he has introduced to combat rising utility rates and high unemployment. It’s worth a read. My two cents: Whether Florida’s economy (or America’s, for that matter) can be revived by putting people to work installing weather stripping and new AC units is anyone’s guess. All I’ll say is that projected jobs-creation numbers are notoriously optimistic. But two facts remain: (1) it’s generally cheaper to save energy than it is to generate it, and (2) America needs more jobs. Gibbon’s piece says about as much.

Kyocera Solar will begin making solar panels in San Diego, California, reports the L.A. Times. Why San Diego? The city “was appealing to the company because of its close proximity to Kyocera Mexicana in Tijuana, which also manufactures solar modules, Kyocera Solar President Steve Hill said in an e-mail.”

Solar-panel maker Suntech (NYSE:STP) posted better-than-expected profits for Q4, via Reuters. Shares were up as much as 5.7 percent in mid-day trading.

Municipal solar projects will get a boost in New Jersey, as the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJCM) yesterday announced a number of solar energy initiatives, according to The Leader. In 2008, the NJCM created a pilot program to help municipalities and school districts install solar panels. The program has since been expanded to 14 towns and school districts.

In international solar-related news, Ameet Sha and Sourabh Sen comment via WSJ Blogs on India’s 2010 budget, specifically as it pertains to the country’s National Solar Mission. In a word, the budget is good for India’s fledgling solar energy sector. Here’s a taste of their article: “…one of the common responses we continued to get from international investors when discussing the Indian solar sector is ‘Show me the money.’ These groups want to see program funding before they commit capital. Well, now we can show it to them; in support of the NSM, the budget for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (the administrating entity) has been increased by 61 percent…” Sha and Sen also touch briefly on the importance of “electrifying the masses” in India.

Finally, Philadelphia-based utility Peco Energy said Wednesday that is has purchased roughly 80,000 solar renewable energy credits (SRECs), via Philadelphia Business Journal. Bought at an average rate of $256 per megawatt-hour, the credits amount to six megawatts’ worth of solar power over 10 years.

That’s all for this Thursday. Hang in there — the week is almost over… And be sure to stay plugged in with GetSolar.