Posts from ‘March, 2009’

Business is going through the roof, or more accurately, on the roof, as more governments, agencies and school districts install solar panels to help generate power and save on energy costs.

For a country that’s right on the equator, relying on solar energy in Singapore seems like a bright idea. Try and get off the grid, however, and it quickly loses its shine.

PV Daily reports GE solar has announced the layoff of the second and third production shifts as well as some engineering staff at the its Glasgow manufacturing site.

Affordable and attractive solar is here in San Diego, and right in your neighborhood. Stop by 517 Colima St. in La Jolla this Sunday and learn about how now is the perfect time to get a green roof.

Dear EarthTalk: There’s a lot of talk today about solar and wind power, but what about biomass? How big a role might this renewable energy source play in our future? Couldn’t everyday people burn their own lawn and leaf clippings to generate power? — Deborah Welch, Niagara Falls, NY [More]

Renewable power Solutions Inc., a provider of solar energy installation services for residential, commercial, non-profit and governmental buildings, said Thursday it was awarded the first exclusively solar apprenticeship program by the State of California.

As countries restructure their electricity sector to include more renewable resources, there will be a higher demand for management software, throwing up opportunities for software and services companies worldwide, according to a Greenpeace spokesman.

In what could be an encouraging sign of change in America’s long-standing shortage of graduates prepared for high-tech careers, the hottest subject on college campuses across the nation right now seems to be renewable energy - a surge of interest driven largely by the specter of global warming.

Suppliers to the auto industry may want to shift their focus to wind, given incentives for renewable energy included in the federal stimulus package.

Japanese consumer electronics giants Toshiba and Sharp are in talks on a possible tie-up in the solar power generation field, the companies said Friday.

BERLIN, March 27 (UPI) — Germany-based Siemens Energy announced it will acquire a 28-percent stake in Italian solar company Archimede solar Energy S.p.A.

Shares of First solar Inc. fell in premarket trading Friday after an analyst lowered his rating on the solar panel maker, citing continued declines in average selling prices, credit market constraints and a weak economy that has prompted businesses to recoil from spending on solar projects.

A proposed subsidy by China for its solar power industry sparks an eye-popping rally in the sector this week, but some analysts are sounding a note of caution on the run-up.

Beijing intends to support solar power with generous payments that could strengthen the sector.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that the city is close to adopting a financing plan that would make it easier for residents to adopt all types of renewable power and energy efficiency. Newsom spoke at the GreenNet conference at the Presidio. (CSCO)