Tag Archives: government
The Amazon: Potential Solar Power Plant Hotbed?
There is an article that appeared online yesterday in The Wall Street Journal about how some of the world’s biggest mining companies are looking to spend around $24 billion to boost production in the Amazon and how the Brazilian government is creating the infrastructure necessary to make it happen: Mining giants such as Vale and Anglo-American are increasing efforts [...]
JinkoSolar Scores $1B Infusion
JinkoSolar (NYSE:JKS) is the latest company to benefit from the Chinese government’s efforts to prop up its domestic solar industry. The company has entered into a strategic agreement for $1 billion in financing over the next five years from the Guangdong Branch of China Development Bank (CDB). The financing is a boon to the company, [...]
CPV Startup REhnu Grabs SunShot Grant
REhnu, a solar company that spun out of the University of Arizonaoptics department, was awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help bring its technology to market. REhnu received one of 10 SunShot Incubator awards and was the only company working in the high-concentration photovoltaics realm, according to a release [...]
In Focus: President Obama’s “All-of-the-Above” Energy Strategy
A friend of mine who had made some energy-related suggestions to President Obama just received a very thoughtful and well-written note in response, talking up the “all-of-the-above” strategy. I respond: That’s great. From here, I’d like to see some real numbers and commitments to bringing them about. In particular, I want to see us: • [...]
Stion: Big Winner of SunShot Incubator 7
Department of Energy just announced winners of its SunShot Incubator 7 program. In all, the DOE announced $10 million in investments in solar startups projects across U.S., with San Jose, Cali.-based Stion winning the highest amount of $2 million. Stoin developed a new tandem copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) module thin-film photovoltaic technology that’s produced [...]
Governments Role in the Future of Cleantech
Many want to see more government investment in clean technology. There are a lot of things governments can do to help advance cleantech. They can provide tax credits, craft policy mandates, impose standards, develop regulations and pass legislation. On the macroeconomic level, governments can also play an important role supporting education, developing markets and encouraging demand. Cleantech [...]
The Politics of Solar
Bill Powers, of Solar Done Right, tells Business Week in a timely article about the political hitches holding solar back in the U.S., that “economically and technologically, the game is over. The hang-ups in the U.S. are strictly political,” he said. Oil and gas still dominate the agenda of the political debate and alternative energy [...]
Shopping Malls Across America Go Solar
12 shopping malls in Arizona, California, New York and Connecticut are getting solar PV over the next year, as part of real estate owner Macerich’s corporate sustainability efforts. Panasonic is developing the 12 megawatt solar project, which is financed and owned by Panasonic’s financial platform partner, Coronal Management. This is the first phase of a national solar strategy for Macerich, which [...]
Denmark Reaches 2020 Solar Goal Ahead of Schedule
Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the country is adapting solar technology at a much quicker rate than anticipated. This year, interest in solar technology has soared: “the solar cell capacity will be a hundred times bigger this year compared with 2010.” Every month, another 36 MW of solar capacity is added to the grid [...]
Energy Questions People Want Answered by Obama and Romney
Tonight’s presidential debate, which takes place in Hempstead, Long Island, is a town hall, where undecided voters get to ask the questions. Unfortunately, the subject matter is limited to foreign policy, so many important questions average voters would ask won’t be allowed (how about their positions on a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizens United?). Is [...]
Solyndra: Solar’s Poster Child For Failure
If solar industry had a poster child for failure, Solyndra is to solar as Jared Fogle is to Subway. Yes, solar had its share of flops, failures, and fiascos. Wall Street bashes the solar manufacturers for its low margins, huge debts, and of course, its constant political war different countries around the world. On top [...]
In Focus: The Climate Voters Project
A new project, called Climate Voters, could be operated within the League of Conservation Voters, or could be part of a collaborative effort in which many environmental organizations participate. This is the project’s slogan: We care about climate change and we vote. Climate change is happening now. We need public policy to address this [...]