Pocono Raceway, an official NASCAR track, this week inaugurated a brand-new, 3-megawatt solar installation. We’d originally reported on the Pennsylvania solar project about a year ago. But we think Keith Barry of Autopia put it best today:

While we’d gladly spend the day drinking beer outside a rented RV to watch a solar car covered in ads for Home Depot and Coors Light taking turns at a buck fifty, diehards need not worry: it’s only the track that’s gone solar.

…

[B]ut don’t expect to see Jeff Gordon dropping DuPont sponsorship for Burt’s Bees any time soon. The solar array was originally a response to deregulation of the local power industry — which track officials estimate would’ve raised the track’s electric bill by 40%.

Did somebody say Tesla Roadster?

In Arizona solar news, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has OK’d a plan to allow individual homeowners purchase chunks of output from communal solar installations in Arizona. If you’re a TEP customer who doesn’t have either a good roof for solar or sufficient area for a ground-mounted system, the Bright Tucson Community Solar Program may be a useful way to shield yourself from electricity price inflation over the coming years. If you’re a Tucson resident who does have a decent roof for solar panels, however, you’re probably better off with your own installation.

Solyndra, a California solar company that makes cylindrically shaped solar modules, has inked a deal with Southern California Edison (CSE) for an 16.2 megawatt solar project that will cover 18 rooftops across CSE territory.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR), the Tempe, Arizona-based manufacturer of solar thin-film modules, announced quarterly earnings yesterday. Second-quarter profits fell from a year earlier, and shares are down about five percent today. But some analysts, like Daniel Ries with Collins Stewart in New York, are optimistic the company’s pipeline of utility-scale projects will buoy earnings in coming quarters.

For some reason, I can’t help but thinking this is somewhat ironic.

Finally today, Nevada goes solar and gets salty: “Nevada got approval Thursday from the state’s Public Utilities Commission for the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, a 100-megawatt thermal solar plant estimated to generate 480,000 megawatt hours of electricity annually once completed.”

That’s all for today. Have a relaxing weekend and we’ll see you back here next week.

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This week’s big energy story? The Senate abandoned plans for a comprehensive energy bill that sought to curb carbon emissions, nationwide. Democrats simply did not have the votes to move forward, and will now focus instead on a narrower bit of legislation centered on: holding BP accountable for damages in the gulf; promoting more domestic production of natural gas (which, in the near term, seems silly, given a current global oversupply of the stuff); and boosting household energy-efficiency standards. It’s pretty bland fare, on the whole. But, given the country’s persistent economic woes and upcoming midterm elections, it’s far from surprising the climate bill faltered in Washington.

On a brighter note, a bit of advice: when deciding between buying a new minivan or installing a new rooftop solar electric system, it probably makes more sense to go with the solar panels. At least if you live in New Jersey.

In California solar news, UC Berkeley, Stanford and CalTech have received a $122 million federal grant to develop technologies that covert sunlight “directly into fuels.” Researchers at MIT have been at this for awhile, but two heads or always better than one.

A number of state chapters of the Solar Energy Industries Association continue to call for the implementation of feed-in tariffs:

“Reports by such entities as Ernst & Young, the International Energy Agency, and our own National Renewable Energy Laboratory have indicated that feed-in tariffs have been more successful than incentives based on tradable market commodities at achieving renewable energy goals in Europe. Furthermore, they have done so at a lower cost,” said Lyle Rawlings, president of the Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association, which represents companies serving New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

China — which is installing (and making) a TON of solar panels these days — is now the biggest consumer of energy, the International Energy Agency said in a report earlier this week. Beijing was quick to refute the agency’s numbers, and putting forth some number of its own. Big whoop, says the Wall Street Journal:

Ultimately, the discrepancy [between IEA's numbers and China's] isn’t of great consequence. China calculates that it used 3.066 billion tons of coal equivalent last year, equal to 2.146 billion tons of oil equivalent. That’s about 5% below the IEA’s calculation of China demand, but just 1% below U.S. consumption. Given China’s rapid economic growth, which exceeded 10% in the first half of this year, it’s likely that China will erase the gap with the U.S. this year even by its own measurements.

Details aside, U.S. and China together account for about half the world’s emissions of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

If they haven’t found out already, solar industry and semicon wonks will want to know that Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) is bailing on its thin-film solar module business. Seeking Alpha assesses the implications of the firm’s decision.

Finally today, Solar Buzz this week generated quite the buzz by releasing a report forecasting a tenfold increase in U.S. demand for solar PV by 2014. I’d suggest you take a look at the report, “United States PV Market 2010,” but at $4,995, something tells me there might not be many takers…

That’s it for this Friday — have a safe, relaxing weekend. We’ll see you back here next week.

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Yesterday saw the official launch of Oregon’s pilot feed-in tariff program. PGE’s and Pacific Power’s slots filled up in 15 minutes, according to Oregon Live, leaving “some customers excited and others frustrated.”

“People compare it [applying to the feed-in tariff program] to getting tickets to a big rock show,” said Tom Gauntt, a Pacific Power spokesman. “We believe we have 75 good applicants.”

Some folks down in Texas are thinking about installing a 60-megawatt solar farm on the outskirts of Pflugerville, according to Austin News KXAN. This is good news. Texas has an enormous amount of untapped solar potential — if only the state’s lawmakers could get a statewide solar incentive program in place, there’d be panels going up from Amarillo to Corpus Christi.

Kyocera and Toyota are working to beef up solar photovoltaic (PV) applications for marine use, via MarketWatch. Solar panels have long been used to keep boat batteries from losing their charge.

In Pennsylvania solar news, thanks to the states Sunshine Solar Rebate program Bucks County is now home to a 122-kilowatt solar installation. Booyah.

Morocco inaugurates ‘Africa’s largest wind farm.’ The 140-megawatt installation is part of the country’s $3 billion push to generate more renewable energy.

In solar industry news, Sharp may by March 2013 “more than double” its production of solar cells, via BusinessWeek.

What do you get when you lock a bunch of solar energy wonks into a conference room and have them discuss concentrating solar power (CSP)? The CSP Summit 2010, which was held this week in San Francisco. Greentech Media provides a peek.

Finally today, if you were to say that solar power and coal make odd bedfellows, I’d probably agree with you. Xcel Energy, on the other hand, wouldn’t. Check out this solar thermal-coal mashup, which started cranking out kWhs this week in Grand Junction, Colorado.

That’s all for this week — have a great Fourth of July weekend! We’ll see you back here next week.

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Florida’s state legislature decided to not renew the state’s solar rebate under the Florida Solar Energy System Incentives Program. While the news comes as a disappointment, the rebate program has long been de facto defunct, having been closed to new applicants due to lack of funds.

In other solar rebate-related news, the second block of funding under Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Solar II Rebate Program was closed Wednesday. The next round — or “block” — of funding is expected to open in early July. As we’ve found with most state-sponsored solar power subsidies, fund go fast. So if you’re even thinking about doing a Massachusetts solar home installation, you best shake a leg. You can start with five things to do before you get solar.

Check out Idaho’s latest bid to become known for more than its potatoes. (I say this with nothing but love for Idaho.)

The wrangling over proposed energy legislation continues in DC. A point of discussion is whether national energy policy should put a price on carbon — as envisioned under a cap-and-trade bill passed by the House last fall — or, alternatively, promote the use of solar energy and wind power via a national renewable energy standard.

If you’ve watched any of the World Cup matches, chances are you’ve seen the following logo along the sidelines. (You’ve definitely seen this one.)

Anyway, this is because the solar-panel maker in question — China-based Yingli Green Energy (NYSE:YGE) – isn’t messing around. Under a sponsorship deal, the company’s logo shows up along the electronic perimeter at all 64 games. Each go, it flashes in 30-second increments for a total of 8 minutes of air-time each game. Yingli also has the right to show its solar wares near the stadiums. What’s the tab for some eight and-a-half hours of visibility?

[Yingli's Vice President Jason] Liu declined to say how much Yingli was spending on the sponsorship deal, but said the marketing budget for the World Cup equaled just a small part of the company’s annual revenue, which reached 7.25 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) last year. Chinese media have reported the sponsorship was costing at least $20 million.

What do you get when you mix Cate Blanchett, Australian actors and solar power? This.

Also in Australia-related solar news, Trina Solar (NYSE:TSL) is expected to power Australia’s largest rooftop solar installation for the University of Queensland, via PRNewswire.

Finally today, I’ll leave you with a brief story on the University of Arizona Solar Race Car Team.

That’s all for this week. Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend — we’ll see you back here on Monday.

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“This initiative sponsored by greedy Texas oil companies would cripple California’s fastest-growing economic sector, reverse our renewable energy policy and decimate our environmental progress for the benefit of these oil companies’ profit margins.”

California Gov. Schwarzenegger added, “I will not allow this to happen on my watch.” While this is a fairly convenient sound byte (Schwarzenegger’s watch is up at the end of the year), the proposed measures would represent a huge step backwards. End. Of. Story.

Florida gets a ton of sun. If only the state legislature could get a cohesive, consistently funded solar incentive structure in place. The alternative has been, well, disappointing to say the least: “No [solar energy] policy at all kills everything.”

If you haven’t already, you solar industry wonks will want to read this bit of gossip from Greentech Media. It seems Suntech Power (NYSE:STP), the China-based solar panel maker, has been ditched by one of its suppliers, Huantai Silicon.

“We definitely no longer cooperate with Suntech,” Sophia Yuan, Huantai Silicon’s CEO assistant, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Word is that Huantai will now work to develop a joint venture with MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE:WFR).

In Arizona solar news, Governor Jan Brewer today signed SB 2370, a bill that sets up tax credits for the development of solar liquid fuels. What the heck are “solar liquid fuels”? Thanks be to the press release, which explains in plain English:

Similar to photosynthesis, solar liquid fuel refers to the process by which concentrated solar energy is used in conjunction with carbon dioxide and water to create hydrocarbons. In addition to creating combustible fuels like methanol and ethanol, additional processing can potentially yield more traditional fuels like gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Finally, in entirely unrelated news, U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

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In California solar energy news, PG&E and SunRun, a provider of solar leases, announce a major million financing deal. The California utility will provide up to $100 million to help finance SunRun solar home energy installations in five states: Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and California.

Hank Stuever of the Washington Post calls reviews Gasland, a documentary being billed as “one man’s journey into a natural gas crisis.” The film debuts tonight on HBO. Topaz Resources, meanwhile, presents the counterpoint on natural gas.

Where were you on Solar Day 2010?

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) suspends its Green Power Generation Partners Program, which paid out a popular production-based incentive to owners of solar energy systems. Judging from the following quote, TVA’s decision has caught a few folks off guard: “We were shocked,” said Jim Purcell, at Nashville Electric Service. “We were absolutely shocked.”

As we reported late last week, Solyndra is bailing on its much-vaunted IPO plans in favor of private equity. The innovative solar panel maker in California cited “ongoing uncertainties in the public capital markets” as main consideration behind the move.

Finally today: just in case you were considering a solar home panel installation in Ukraine, a new market report may help you find your way.

That’s all for now — thanks for reading. We’ll see you back here on Wednesday.

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Shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR), the Tempe, Arizona-based maker of thin-film solar modules, got a boost yesterday, thanks to an analyst upgrade.

If this keeps up, you may see “Made in Minnesota” stamped on the frame of solar panels.

Craig Furgeson, of CBS, had some on-air fun last night:

Obama said we need a new energy strategy, one with more alternatives, like solar power. I agree. But let’s not forget about lunar power. Remember, the moon is what gives power to werewolves.

Now, I know Obama was trying to take the long view, but talking about solar energy in the middle of the oil spill is like watching your house engulfed in flames and saying, “We really should change the curtains.”

(No comment.)

Finally today, Sungevity — California solar installation company — keeps on keepin’ on with its PR binge, this time offering to do a satellite rooftop analysis for California’s gubernatorial candidates, Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown. The firm has already offered to install solar panels atop the White House for free. Want a solar energy analysis of your own? Say no more.

That’s all for today — have a great weekend!

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President Obama last night addressed the nation from the Oval Office, vowing to “make BP pay for the damage their company has caused” and “do whatever’s necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy.” While the President mainly focused on the crisis at hand, he did allude to longer-term policy aims:

For decades, we have known the days of cheap and easily accessible oil were numbered. For decades, we’ve talked and talked about the need to end America’s century-long addiction to fossil fuels. And for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires. Time and again, the path forward has been blocked — not only by oil industry lobbyists, but also by a lack of political courage and candor.

The consequences of our inaction are now in plain sight.  Countries like China are investing in clean energy jobs and industries that should be right here in America. Each day, we send nearly $1 billion of our wealth to foreign countries for their oil. And today, as we look to the Gulf, we see an entire way of life being threatened by a menacing cloud of black crude.

UPDATE: BP has agreed to put $20 billion in escrow for a spill cleanup fund.

Yet another reason to be thankful we live in the land of abundant and reliable electricity: “Factories in Bangladesh have been asked to stop work in the evenings so there is enough electricity for people to watch World Cup football on TV,” via The Oil Drum, via BBC news.

In Oregon solar installation news, utilities like PGE and Pacific Power are gearing up to start accepting applications on July 1 for the state’s new feed-in tariff. Participating homeowners with systems up to 10 kilowatt (kW) in size could be paid as much as $0.65 per kilowatt-hour for the electricity they generate. This payment makes rooftop solar panels a no-brainer, provided you’ve got a decent roof.

California and Nevada make great solar-powered union. Sempra Generation, solar project developer, today announced today the first eight megawatt (MW) block of solar panels is delivering clean, renewable power to PG&E, a California utility. Located in Boulder City, Nevada, the Copper Mountain Solar installation will be 48-MW in size, when complete.

In Delaware solar installation news, a 10-MW solar park is slated for construction in Dover. Go solar, Delaware!

Further north, in Massachusetts, Con Edison Development aims to install a 2-MW solar panel installation at the New Bedford Business Park in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, via SouthCoastToday.com. If built, the solar power installation would be among the largest in New England.

Finally, we’ll finish with more news about solar panels in Massachusetts. Evergreen Solar (NASDAQ:ESLR), a solar-panel maker based in Marlboro, Mass., will this week announce its newest line of string-ribbon panels in Paris, France, via Boston.com.

That’s all for today — thanks for reading. Please feel free to post any other noteworthy news stories below. We’ll see you back here on Friday.

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It looks like a rumble is-a-brewing in Georgia… The state’s solar industry and Georgia Power can’t seem to get along, to put it lightly.

“We directly challenge for the first time the accuracy of the company’s [Georgia Power's] information about the viability of solar power as a renewable energy source in Georgia,” James Marlow and Lee Peterson said on behalf of the Georgia Solar Energy Association in first-time testimony at the state Public Service Commission.”

Related: Georgia Power Flirts with Solar Energy, Skeptics Unswayed.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg helped announce the creation of several “solar empowerment zones” across the city. Notably, New York has over 1.6 BILLION square feet of rooftops — some of which is prime real estate for rooftop solar installations. A central aim of the solar empowerment zone plan is to add solar power to the grid in those places where additional generating capacity will bring the most bang for the city’s buck:

“The creation of the Solar Empowerment Zones directs resources to areas in the city where solar installations can have the greatest impact,” said Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith, “By focusing on neighborhoods that need additional capacity to meet projected demand, we can make our grid more resilient and forestall costly infrastructure improvements.”

New York City officials will also use an innovative solar energy map to help decide where, exactly, to put solar panels.

In Colorado solar power news, Governor Scott Ritter used the last day of his legislative career to sign five bills related to clean energy, via Denver Business Journal:

House Bill 1267, sponsored by Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, which gives tax breaks to residential solar facilities that are leased but not owned by the homeowner.

House Bill 1328, sponsored by Rep. Joe Miklosi, D-Denver, which creates loans of up to $25,000 for homeowners to use for renewable energy-generating equipment.

House Bill 1333, sponsored by Rep. Ed Vigil, D-Fort Garland, which provides grants to colleges to provide clean-energy job-training programs.

Senate Bill 180, sponsored by Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, which creates a task force to study implementation of a smart energy grid in Colorado.

House Bill 1098, sponsored by Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, which provides for more transparency in rural electric cooperative association governance.

Finally today, if all goes according to plan, Williamstown, Vermont may be home to a 2.1-megawatt solar panel installation, via Times Argus Online. The project, which will be dubbed the “Williamstown Solar Farm,” could be one of the first completed under Vermont’s feed-in tariff, available via the Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development (SPEED) program.

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Without further ado, here it is — your moment of solar power:

Proposition 16, on which Californians voted yesterday, appears likely to fail, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The ballot initiative would have required local governments to gain approval from two-thirds majority of their voters before using public funds to start or join a public power entity. Investor-owned utilities, most notably PG&E, opposed supported the proposed measure.

An international group of energy firms is planning a 100-megawatt solar thermal installation in the United Arab Emirates, via BusinessWeek. Abengoa SA of Spain and France’s Total will join Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, Masdar, to undertake the $600 million solar installation. The project is aptly named Shams 1, which in Arabic means “Sun 1.”

In Arizona solar industry and manufacturing news, thin-film maker First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) is planning to “double the size of its manufacturing plant in Germany in an effort to meet demand in Europe and hedge its bets against the euro,” according to Phoenix Business Journal. In related news, the Tempe, Arizona-based company reported relatively strong sales for the first half of 2010, ahead of anticipated cuts to Germany’s solar subsidies.

Another U.S. solar manufacturer, SunPower, will build a 9.1-megawatt solar power installation in Spain, via San Jose Mercury News.

Trina Solar (NYSE:TSL), a China-based solar manufacturer, will supply Southern California Edison (SCE) with 45 megawatts’ worth of solar panels, via PRNewswire.

Finally, an innovative plan in Minnesota envisions using wind power to make fertilizer.

That’s all for today. Thanks, as always, for reading. We’ll see you back here on Friday.

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