Tuesday's Solar Project

TORONTO, Jun 29, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Atlantic Wind & Solar Inc. (PINKSHEETS: AWSL) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with an Ontario commercial real estate developer, which will allow it to develop and construct four more utility scale, solar rooftop projects. The projects will generate a combined name plate power capacity of approximately 492 kW.

Under the agreement, Atlantic Wind & Solar will finance, build, own, operate, and maintain the solar energy systems hosted on the roofs of the commercial buildings, and the electrical power generated from the systems will be sold directly into the grid to the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) for 71.3 cents per kilowatt hour, for a total of 20 years, under the terms and conditions of the Ontario government's Feed-in Tariff Program (FIT).

The aforementioned rooftop PV systems will all be located in the Greater Toronto Area.

Construction is expected to commence following FIT contract application approval.

AWSL... Poised for Growth

Through focused management, strategic alliances, and advanced technologies, Atlantic Wind & Solar Inc. is poised for growth at the forefront of the massive global shift towards environmentally friendly, economical Renewable Energy. The Company is working with parties in the Real Estate sector in Ontario to secure rooftop leases suitable for AWSL's photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy systems.

Looking Ahead

As powerful new Renewable Energy incentives, such as friendly tax treatments, grants and generous government feed-in-tariffs, are introduced in the America's and abroad, AWSL plans on fully leveraging its relationships, business model and advanced technologies to capture a significant share of these dynamic emerging markets.

Sales and Marketing Contacts

Property owners and managers with unobstructed commercial rooftops of 20,000 s/f or bigger in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and for which they are interested in possibly leasing to AWSL, are invited to contact Mr. Charles Mazzacato +1 800 891 1657 ext. 230.

All other Renewable Energy system inquiries are asked to phone +1 416 900-0380 or email info@atlanticwindandsolar.com

For further corporate information and/or to subscribe for regular news updates from Atlantic Wind & Solar, please visit:

www.atlanticwindandsolar.com

Disclaimer: Shareholders and investors are strongly cautioned against placing undue reliance on information set forth in these communications in making any investment decisions concerning our securities. The matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These risks are detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the company's Annual Report, Quarterly Reports and other periodic filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.


Investor Relations Contact:
Geneva Bancorp.
Mr. Brent O'Connor
Phone: +1 (416) 900-0380 ext.223
Email: ir@atlanticwindandsolar.com

Pennsylvania School Signs Solar Agreement

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL, Jun 28, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc. (SNRY 0.14, +0.00, +1.45%) , with businesses in solar project development, distribution and workforce training, today announced it has signed a letter of intent with a School District in Pennsylvania to install and operate approximately 4 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) systems on government buildings. The Company anticipates that the projects will break ground in the Fall of 2010 and be completed sometime in the Spring of 2011.

Solar Energy Initiatives will provide all solar equipment for the installation on the sites and sell the newly generated solar electricity to the buildings at a discounted rate. The Project is expected to provide energy savings to the District over a 20-year term and does not require any out of pocket costs to the District. The project will utilize approximately 17,000 solar panels totaling 4 megawatts of installed capacity and is projected to reduce hazardous carbon dioxide emissions by 6,000 tons, annually.

"I am extremely pleased with SNRY's capacity to secure these profitable commercial agreements," stated Mr. David Fann, Chief Executive Officer of Solar Energy Initiatives. "These contracts represent a fraction of the vast amount of pending commercial opportunities in our constantly growing operational pipeline. We are encouraged by the significant growth opportunity that they represent in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S. where government leadership is focused on Green Energy. Solar Energy Initiatives will remain dedicated to following this proven business model in order to continue growing market presence, secure additional contracts, and increase earnings to the bottom-line."

The Company will partner with a local Solar Dealer for the construction and utilize local labor throughout the Project development effort. Solar Energy Initiatives will recognize energy sales over a 20-year period from the project ownership and the sale of Solar Alternative Energy Credits through a State program supported by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission.

About Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc.

Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc. (SNRY 0.14, +0.00, +1.45%) is a diversified provider of solar solutions with three principal operating groups focused on large-scale projects, solar education and distribution of solar products. SNRY Power is a developer and manager of municipal and commercial scale solar projects. The SolarEos Group is dedicated to the education and continuous improvement of solar energy trade professionals. SNRY Solar is a wholesale distributor of branded photovoltaic and thermal (water heating) systems selling via a network of dealers throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Solar Energy Initiatives also owns SolarEnergy.com, one of the most visited solar websites on the internet and a digital property committed to driving consumer traffic, while serving as a platform for awareness of the benefits of solar and a source of business lead generation to SNRY Solar's channel partners. Through its diversified portfolio of solar businesses, Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc. is committed to restoring the nation's economy through a grassroots campaign called "Renew the Nation." Renew the Nation brings together a broad alliance of public and private sector interests focused on workforce development, job creation and economic growth through solar energy. For more information please visit http://www.solarenergy.com/.


Contact:

Investors:
Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc.
David Fann
Chief Executive Officer
904-644-6090
david.fann@solarenergy.com

or

Alliance Advisors, LLC
Chris Camarra or Bryan Kobel
212-398-3487

Sparks' Solar Program Running Out of Money

BY DAVID JACOBS • DJACOBS@RGJ.COM • JUNE 25, 2010
Sparks’ effort to be a leader in renewable energy is running into funding stumbling blocks, prompting the city to reach out to the Nevada Public Utilities Commission for help.
Earlier this year, a rooftop solar project debuted at the Larry D. Johnson Community Center, kicking off what was envisioned as a series of projects at city sites, including the police department, Golden Eagle Regional Park, and the city’s recreation gym off Richards Way.

The city received rebates from NV Energy’s Solar Generations program and was counting future rebates for various projects, applying rebates from one completed project to the next one and down the line.

Now that plan may be in jeopardy as the result of a bureaucratic maze involving NV Energy and the PUC, complications that have left Sparks’ list of solar projects in limbo.

Money in play
At least $500,000 may be at stake for Sparks, separate from any future solar rebate funding the city hopes to secure.

“Renewable energy generation and energy conservation are two of our main focuses in working toward creating a sustainable city,” Mayor Geno Martini wrote in a letter to PUC Commissioner Rebecca Wagner. “With the unprecedented economic challenges the city has faced and the need to fund basic city services, our sustainability program is completely dependent upon the grant and rebate funding,” Martini said.

Sparks had applied for energy rebates in April with a sense of urgency. The city thought the applications would be handled on a first-come first-served basis statewide. As with other Nevada communities, Sparks was ready at the computer when the application period opened at noon April 21.

“Everyone was submitting applications as fast as they could,” City Engineer Pete Etchart said.
Then, the 30-wait began for the results.

“I’ll be honest, it was disheartening,” Etchart said.
Sparks did not get any rebates as funding rules changed along the way, Etchart said.
NV Energy stands by its decision-making process. Historically first-come first-served has never been the only criteria, NV Energy official John Owens said.

San Francisco Solar Power Looking to the Future

By Cassandra Sweet Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)--First Solar Inc. (FSLR) is the world's largest solar-panel maker. Now, it wants to compete with fossil-fuel power generators.

In addition to making flat, glass panels that convert sunlight into electricity, First Solar has built some of the largest solar farms in the U.S. including a 21-megawatt facility in Blythe, Calif., owned by NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) and a 10-megawatt plant in Boulder City, Nev., owned by Sempra Energy (SRE).

First Solar plans to build several more solar farms with a project-development business assembled over the last year through its acquisitions of NextLight Renewable Power LLC in April, a unit of Edison International (EIX), in January and part of privately held OptiSolar last year.

The move is a risky one for the Tempe, Ariz.-based company. First Solar hopes it can leverage its expertise in solar panels to build solar farms capable of taking on gas-fired power plants. The goal: to greatly expand solar power's share of the U.S. power market.

With 2,200 megawatts of solar farms under development, First Solar hopes it can demonstrate that solar power is a reliable, reasonably priced source of valuable daytime electricity. For investors, the company aims to prove that solar farms can be lucrative.

"Our major goal is to provide renewable power that's sustainable over time," said First Solar Chief Executive Rob Gillette in an interview earlier this month. In turn, that will "drive the costs of our technology down to where it is competing with fossil-fuel peaking resources," he added.

This year, the company will sell most of its panels into the red-hot solar-power market. Global installations of solar panels are expected to nearly double this year to about 13 gigawatts, due to strong demand in Germany and other European countries, where developers are rushing to nail down projects ahead of government plans to cut subsidies later this year.

Meanwhile, demand in the U.S., Japan, China and other countries has been steadily rising. In addition to clean energy requirements and improving economies, falling solar-panel prices have generated greater interest.

With its low-cost thin-film manufacturing technology, First Solar is a formidable competitor in a market increasingly populated by low-priced Chinese manufacturers. The company isn't standing still. First Solar is in the process of expanding production of solar panels by nearly 60% to 2,100 megawatts by 2012, while working to cut manufacturing costs and improve its product.

The solar-farm business has perplexed some analysts and investors who view it as a detour from First Solar's tried-and-true business.

"It's not necessarily an ideal situation," said Barclays Capital analyst Vishal Shah. While building solar farms may be a good way to grab a big chunk of a fast-growing market, there are plenty of risks involved, including financing and execution risks, he said.

But Gillette sees solar farms as a valuable channel for selling panels, which will help the company gain market share and push the boundaries of the solar market, which in the U.S. accounts for less than 1% of power generation. Figuring out how to build and engineer a solar farm to squeeze the most electricity out of each panel each day is an important job that few are doing, he said.

"There are all kinds of things that we're learning about how to...yield a lower total-system cost," Gillette said. "Without the capability of [engineering, procurement and construction] and understanding how to drive that total system cost down, you don't really know. You're just responding to a [request] for modules."

Solar-company stocks have fallen due to concerns about Europe and its currency. Shares of First Solar closed Thursday at $116.88, down about 14% year-to-date. That compares to American depositary shares of top Chinese solar-panel suppliers Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP), Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE) and Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL), which were down between 35% and 44% year-to-date. Preferred shares of U.S. solar-panel maker SunPower Corp. (SPWRA, SPWRB) closed Thursday at $13.38, down 43% year-to-date.

First Solar plans to sell about 75% of its panels in Europe this year, but the percentage will drop as demand grows in the U.S., China and other countries, Gillette said.

Analysts predict U.S. solar-power demand could double this year to nearly 1,000 megawatts and continue growing over the next several years. Much of that growth will be in California and other Western states where state renewable-energy requirements and strong solar resources have created a springboard for the solar market.


-By Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-439-6468; cassandra.sweet@dowjones.com

$20 Milliion in Solar Energy Ads at the World Cup

By BONNIE CAO (AP) – 19 hours ago
BEIJING — China did not qualify for the World Cup, but the country is still making an appearance in South Africa. An ambitious Chinese solar company, the country's first World Cup sponsor, has placed advertising in all the stadiums in a bid to give its brand a worldwide boost.
Yingli Green Energy Co.'s sponsorship deal allows it to show its logo of Yingli Solar, in Chinese and English, on electronic perimeter-boards at all 64 games of the World Cup. The Yingli slogan appears for 30 seconds at a time, totaling 8 minutes in each game. Yingli also has right to showcase its solar products near the stadiums.
"The World Cup is a very good platform that can immediately boost our brand awareness in every potential market around the globe," said company Vice President Jason Liu.
It is a bold move by the New York Stock Exchange-listed solar panel maker, based in the city of Baoding, southwest of Beijing. The company is not well-known in China. Set up in 1998 with nearly 7,000 employees now, Yingli designs, makes and sells solar panels. It said its main markets are overseas, with Europe accounting for more than 50 percent.
Liu said core markets also happened to be big football countries, such as Germany, Italy, Spain and France, plus the United States.
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.
While most of FIFA's sponsors are consumer goods makers, such as McDonald's and Budweiser, Yingli is the first renewable energy sponsor. Analysts said solar panels and soccer may sound like an unusual combination, but the sponsorship could work in terms of building brand credibility and catering to investors.
"Certainly everyone in China, if not everyone around the world, now knows a company like that exists," said Stuart James, head of Asia-Pacific for Helios Partners, a sports marketing firm.
Chinese companies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsoring international sports events in recent years to go with their ambitions to expand overseas. More than 30 Chinese firms partnered with the Beijing Olympic Games, including PC maker Lenovo as a global Olympic sponsor. And Chinese electronic gadget maker, Aigo, sponsors the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team and Manchester United in the English Premier League.
James said more Chinese companies will step into international sports sponsorships, but "they need to be activating so much more than just having signs in the field," he said.
Liu said Yingli also planned to expand its market to Africa. The appearance of a renewable energy company will differ from the usual Chinese business activities in Africa that are dominated by state-owned oil companies or infrastructure builders.

Idaho Company Gets a Solar Gig

(AP) – 36 minutes ago
BOISE, Idaho — A company formed by Boise-based Micron Technology Inc. and Origin Energy of Australia says it plans to start making extremely thin but highly efficient solar cells that will be available next year.
Transform Solar officials say the so-called sliver solar cells will be made at a plant in Boise where Micron once made computer chips, and the cells will be combined into solar panels at another plant owned by Micron in Nampa.
"There is nothing comparable to sliver (cells) on the market," Phil Mackey of Transform Holdings told the Idaho Statesman.
He said Transform Solar has hired 70 employees and expects to hire up to 50 more, with most of the jobs based in southwest Idaho.
Micron and Origin late last year announced the agreement that officials said takes advantage of Origin's experience in energy markets and Micron's expertise in making thin semiconductors.
Mackey said Transform Solar's manufacturing and research will be based in southwest Idaho, and more research and development will be done in Adelaide, Australia.
Company officials say that because the sliver solar cells are so thin, the cost of the silicon used to make them can be reduced by 90 percent, making the cells competitive in the crowded solar energy field.
The company says the cells are less than 50 microns, or less than two-thousandths of an inch, making them the thinnest in production, and bifacial, meaning they can capture sun energy from both faces.
Earlier this month, Transform Solar introduced its sliver technology at the Intersolar trade show in Germany.
Also, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter announced earlier this month that solar panels using the technology will be used in a $45 million facility proposed by Sunergy World near the Boise Airport that will be able to generate 10 megawatts.
"We've been engaged with Transform since late February and early March," said Mark van Gulik, president of Sunergy World.
Elected leaders in the region are hoping the hiring of workers to build the panels is a sign of better times ahead.
"Everybody in the state is cautiously hoping we've seen the bottom of this recession," said Nampa Mayor Tom Dale. "This is a turn in the right direction."
Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Solar Project Begins at Sports Arena

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Jun 23, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today, the Morris County Improvement Authority (MCIA) of New Jersey along with solar energy provider Tioga Energy and installation contractor SunDurance Energy, will celebrate the start of construction on a 1.57 megawatt (MW) solar project at the William G. Mennen Sports Arena. The kickoff event heralds the initiation of the County's 3.2 MW renewable energy program pilot, which encompasses 19 local facilities and is being financed through a landmark public-private solar development model, referred to as the "Morris Model." Construction is starting just six months after the County announced their plans in January 2010.

"The sun is shining on Morris County, New Jersey, and we have an ingenious model of solar financing to thank for capturing that energy," said Morris County Freeholder William Chegwidden, liaison to the Improvement Authority. "This ambitious project demonstrates a true feat of collaboration and innovation between the public and private sector. Tioga and SunDurance brought to the table unparalleled expertise in piecing together the finance and operations of solar development. County officials and stakeholders secured responsible financing and demonstrated unwavering commitment."

"New Jersey can be a leader in energy as an industry if we continue to harness our innovation, resources and workforce," said New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. "Powered by smart businesses and communities, as exemplified today in Morris County, and strategic financial incentives, this new marketplace is opening up jobs and revenue for the state at a rapid pace."

Today's event will ceremonially unveil the first of the 14,000 solar panels to be installed at 19 schools and county government buildings throughout the County. When completed, the total project will result in an energy savings of more than $3.8 million. The Mennen Sports Arena solar system--which comprises installations on all three ice rink rooftops plus elevated solar structures covering more than 500 parking spaces--will produce 30 percent of the facility's electricity.

"The entire Morris County community should take pride in today's kick-off event," said Paul Detering, CEO Tioga Energy. "The Morris Model has grabbed the attention of county officials from across the state and the nation; they're taking note of how to replicate this blueprint of affordable solar electricity."

David Helmer, Executive Director of Morris County Parks Commission comments, "This committed and savvy team has laid the groundwork for a new path to solar--one that generates significant cost and carbon savings and even utilizes the sun to make ice. We'll see the impact in Morris County and beyond."

"In addition to its positive environmental impact, the project is bringing employment to the area and, by reducing the price of energy at Morris County schools, helping to strengthen school finances and reduce the local tax base," said Al Bucknam, CEO of SunDurance Energy, the company that is engineering and installing the systems. "As a New Jersey company, SunDurance is especially proud to be a part of this tremendous undertaking."

The "Morris Model" refers to the hybrid solar financing deployed, whereby the MCIA issued state-approved government bonds to finance renewable energy projects, and the project developer, Tioga Energy, qualifies for the Federal tax incentives that would normally not be available to public entities. Tioga passes along the savings to the County with clean electricity at a lower rate: under the terms of the 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tioga, Morris County will purchase the electricity generated by the systems at a price that is approximately 35 percent less than that charged by the utility. During that 15-year period, the combined solar energy systems will generate 51,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy, which creates carbon offsets equivalent to taking more than 200 passenger vehicles off the road each year.

About Tioga Energy:

Tioga Energy enables commercial, government and non-profit organizations to reduce their energy costs while lowering carbon emissions. Through the SurePath(SM) solar power purchase agreement (PPA), Tioga Energy owns and operates renewable energy systems that provide organizations a hedge against energy price volatility and accelerate their access to clean energy without any capital outlay. For more information call 877.333.9787 or visit: www.tiogaenergy.com.

About SunDurance Energy

SunDurance Energy, LLC develops, designs, builds and operates megawatt-scale solar power solutions for forward-thinking corporations, utilities and government entities. SunDurance Energy offers full in-house design and project execution capability, deep experience, high bonding capacity, and rigorous value engineering processes. SunDurance Energy is an affiliate of The Conti Group, a century-old, nationwide leader in civil and industrial infrastructure, conventional and renewable power, homeland security and environmental remediation. For more information, please visit the website at www.SunDuranceEnergy.com.

SOURCE: Tioga Energy


For Tioga Energy
Kimberly Setliff, 415-977-1942
kimberly@antennagroup.com
or
For SunDurance Energy
Todd Martin, 908-791-4825
tmartin@SunDuranceEnergy.com



Copyright Business Wire 2010

Ascent Solar Technology is Ready for Research Project

THORNTON, Colo., Jun 22, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (ASTI 2.88, -0.01, -0.35%) , a developer of state of the art flexible thin-film solar modules, announced today that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected their team for an award under the Low-Cost Lightweight Portable Photovoltaics (PoP) solicitation. The ASTI-led program, entitled "Flexible High-performance Tandem-junction PV Array", consists of three gated phases, the first of which is 18 months and has an approximate contract value of $3.8M. The entire program is anticipated to continue over the next 54 months. The goal of PoP is to demonstrate low-cost, lightweight photovoltaics (PV) that can stand up to battle conditions and environmental extremes while delivering a power conversion efficiency of 20% or greater by the end of the program.

ASTI leads a highly-talented team of small businesses (ITN Energy Systems, Littleton, CO, Cambrios Technologies Company, Sunnyvale, CA, Brewer Science, Rolla, MO), large business (QinetiQ North America-TSG, Boston, MA) and academia (Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC), Newark, DE) partners to leverage their collective expertise with dedicated funding from DARPA to meet the highly aggressive goals of the PoP program.

"We are excited that DARPA selected our team for the PoP project," stated Farhad Moghadam, President and CEO of Ascent Solar. "In order to meet the aggressive goals of performance, capacity, and military toughness, our team has put together a definitive plan that combines our flexible CIGS production experience and existing MILSTD 810G military product, advanced high-temperature substrates from QinetiQ, the combined expertise in multijunction thin film technology from ASTI and IEC, films for optical and electrical enhancement from Brewer and Cambrios, and enhanced packaging technologies being developed by ITN and ASTI. The outcome of the program dovetails nicely with our existing technology improvement pathway for our flexible thin film monolithically integrated CIGS-based PV modules at 20% module efficiency for the Department of Defense (DoD)."

About Ascent Solar Technologies:

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a developer of thin-film photovoltaic modules with substrate materials that can be more flexible and affordable than most traditional solar panels. Ascent Solar modules can be directly integrated into standard building materials, commercial transportation, space applications, consumer electronics for portable power or configured as stand alone modules for large scale terrestrial deployment. Ascent Solar is headquartered in Thornton, Colo. Additional information can be found at www.ascentsolar.com.

About ITN Energy Systems:

After working for more than 20 years in aerospace industry, Dr. Mohan Misra founded ITN Energy Systems, Inc. (ITNES) in 1994 to bring aerospace know-how to the commercial marketplace. ITNES primary mission is to identify, develop and commercialize emerging technologies for defense and commercial markets by establishing successful spin-offs, joint ventures or licensing arrangements. ITNES focuses on developing advanced products and technologies that address the needs of today's competitive business environment, which is driven by the technology revolution. ITNES has built a diverse and growing technology portfolio for CleanTech including energy generation and storage, energy efficiency, and environment applications, which has provided ITNES with an unprecedented growth opportunity in the past as well as in the future. Since 1996 ITNES has successfully spun-off four companies, they are Global Solar Energy (www.globalsolar.com), Infinite Power Solutions (www.infinitepowersolutions.com), Microsat Systems (www.microsatsystems.com) and Ascent Solar Technologies (www.ascentsolar.com). For more information on ITNES please visit www.itnes.com.

About Brewer Science

Brewer Science delivers innovative material, process, and equipment solutions for various applications including nanotechnology, lithography, advanced packaging, MEMS, optoelectronics, and compound semiconductors. As the inventor of ARC(R) anti-reflective coating products for the microlithography world, Brewer Science continues to expand its scope with CNTRENE(R) microelectronics-grade carbon nanotube solutions, ProTEK(R) temporary etch protective coatings, WaferBOND(R) temporary bonding materials, OptiNDEX(TM) high refractive index coatings, and Cee(R) processing equipment. Additional information can be found at www.brewerscience.com.

About Cambrios

Cambrios is an electronic materials company that develops proprietary, competitive products using nanotechnology. Cambrios implements its novel technology to simplify electronics manufacturing processes, improve end-product performance and identify ways to satisfy unmet industry needs. The company's first product is ClearOhm(TM) coating material that produces a transparent, conductive film by wet processing. ClearOhm(TM) films have improved properties by comparison to currently used materials such as indium tin oxide and other transparent conductive oxides. Applications of ClearOhm(TM) coating material include transparent electrodes for touch screens, liquid crystal displays, e-paper, OLED devices, and thin film photovoltaics. Additional information can be found at www.cambrios.com.

About QinetiQ North America's Technology Solutions Group

QinetiQ North America's Technology Solutions Group includes the businesses of Foster-Miller, Inc. and its subsidiaries Planning Systems Incorporated -- PSI, Automatika, Applied Perception, Spectro, Inc., plus the research and development activities of Apogen Technologies, Inc. It is a technology and product development business with an international reputation for delivering innovative products and systems that perform under the most demanding conditions. Additional information can be found at www.qinetiq-na.com.

About the Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC)

The Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC), established at the University of Delaware in 1972, is a laboratory devoted to research and development of thin-film photovoltaic solar cells and other photonic devices. IEC was designated a University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education by the Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 1992 . Fundamental materials and device research is carried out in parallel with process engineering studies and analysis of film deposition and processing. The broad scope of the research and development effort offers opportunity for study in the fields of physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering as well as collaboration with industrial groups seeking to manufacture and commercialize photovoltaics. IEC is a totally integrated laboratory in which materials and films are synthesized and characterized and electrical devices are fabricated and analyzed, offering the unique experience of correlating properties of completed devices with their fabrication processing all under one roof. Close collaboration between IEC staff and thin film photovoltaic industrial partners insures that the research is relevant to today's technology and includes state-of-the-art process development.

Forward Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors that could cause the Company's actual operating results to be materially different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements that explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements that contain terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "expect," "intends," "intend," "anticipate," "anticipates," "plans," "plan," to be uncertain and forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.


Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
Brian Blackman, 720-872-5107 (Investor Relations)
bblackman@ascentsolar.com
or
Brand Fortified Public Relations
Kelly Brandner, 303-289-4303 (Media)
kellybrandner@msn.com



Copyright Business Wire 2010

Solar Pool Heater is Nice to Have

DEVIN WHITE • DWHITE22@GANNETT.COM • JUNE 19, 2010
Months before summer, while most people were still dreaming about swimming in their pools, Mike Montgomery, of Bossier City, and his three children were already having fun in the sun. And they owe it all to the sun, too. In December, Montgomery had a solar electric energy system and a solar pool heater system installed at his home. Montgomery said there are a few attractive reasons to convert to solar energy.The state has a 50 percent tax credit where they pay 50 percent of the system and the federal pays 30 percent," he said. "That's what got the ball rolling, and then also the green aspect of it. With energy prices the way they are I just thought it would be a good idea."

Montgomery had a solar pool heater system installed, which allows his children to be able to swim in their pool months before warm weather.

"They can extend the swimming season three to four months longer a year, and it doesn't cost anything to operate," said Jeremie Branton, owner of Freedom Power in Bossier City.

Since 2004, Branton, a licensed solar contractor, has been installing eight to 10 solar powered systems a month that not only provide electricity to local residents but also hot water.

Branton said the solar water heating systems have a quicker return on investment than the solar electric energy systems.

"So we're talking a six- to eight-year return on investment for solar electric, but with solar hot water heating systems, like for heating the water you use in the house, those have about a two- to three-year return on investment," Branton said. "Heating water in your home can account for about 20 percent of your electric bill, and solar can take out about 80 percent of that amount by heating the water using just the heat of the sun."

Montgomery said he already is experiencing the savings from his system.

"At peak summertime, we were $250 to $300, and we're running $100 to $150 cheaper now," he said.

For those afraid their solar system will not always produce enough energy to power their household appliances, they can choose a grid-tied system that works in conjunction with the utility grid.

Solar Power Still a Child Growing

By Jo Lee Ferguson Special to the News-Journal | 1 comment
L ocal builder and Realtor Susie Scadden is conducting an experiment.
In 2009, she built a rental duplex between Longview and Hallsville and, with the help of Longview-based Tejas Energy Solutions, equipped it with a solar power system.
"I'm a builder, and I wanted to see how it works before I put it in my homes," she said, after explaining she didn't want to have to pay monthly electric bills at the property. She equipped the home with a 10-kilowatt system, with the solar panels installed in the backyard because there wasn't enough roof space.
Right away, she experienced one of the challenges of solar power — although it went unnoticed by the duplex's tenants.
"The first few months was in the dead of winter, so we didn't get a lot of sun. The last month or so, it has started paying its own monthly bills," she said.
However, the system is tied into Southwestern Electric Power Co., so when there's not enough solar power for the residence, it automatically pulls from SWEPCO's system.
"(The tenants) don't see any difference one way or the other," she said.
Still, it's too early to tell whether she will use solar power in other homes she builds, she said.
Her decision to use solar power is part of a slow acceptance of the renewable energy source in East Texas, according to Tejas Energy Solutions co-owner David Sellers.
"People don't want to spend that kind of money yet," he said, adding there are few incentives available in Texas for installing solar power systems. However, there are some tax and utility incentives available to help defray the cost of using solar power in a home, he said.
Also, since the systems are tied into the electric grid, it's possible they'll sometimes generate more electricity than the home uses. The power company provides credits to the customer for that extra electricity that's sent to the grid, Sellers said.
He, his wife, Misty, and business partner Johnny Pickett established their renewable energy company a year ago. The firm provides all kinds of "energy solutions" for residential and commercial customers, working with SWEPCO, for instance, to test certain homes to determine whether they're energy inefficient. The company also installs energy efficient lighting for homes and businesses, and provides heating and air conditioning equipment and services, advising businesses and individuals on upgrades they need to save money.
The firm, which covers Texas, Louisiana and parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma, is one of a few East Texas firms that provides solar power systems. Sellers said Tejas is a master agent for Ontility, a provider of solar products.
"I wanted to give something back to the community, society as a whole," he said. He had experience with solar power, since he previously worked for a chemical company and installed solar-powered chemical pumps at oil well sites.
"Being green is the way of the future," Sellers said. "We've taken and taken and taken. Now people are starting to realize we're going to have to give something back."
In the past year, the business has installed about six solar power systems, he said, although the firm has stayed busy with the other portions of its business. Much of the solar work has been commercial and residential projects in Louisiana, which he said offers more incentives.
He doesn't push solar on people, though, he said. For instance, when customers who are interested in solar power call him to their house, the first thing he does is look at the home's 12-month energy consumption history. He then looks for ways to make the home more energy efficient, and that makes it possible to install a smaller, less expensive system.
People in this area aren't as aware of solar power as other parts of the country.
"We're dyed in the wool oilfield," he said.
He expects, though, that people will be drawn more and more to solar power as the cost of electricity increases in the face of legislative changes and a challenging environment for building new coal power plants.
"Energy is not going down," he said. "It's only going up."

Tennessee Valley Stops Solar Spending Program

by Marcus Washington

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Valley Authority has placed a moratorium on a popular program that pays homeowners and businesses that generate electricity from solar energy.

At the height of TVA announcing a moratorium on its solar power program, it is surprising to see so many people interested in making the investment to their property.

"When we first purchased the farm we thought we were going to do everything and very energy efficient," said Tom Trapp who moved to Cedar Hill from New York.

He said he was in shock when he heard the news.

"It's kind of surprising in a state where you've got these major corporations investing billions of dollars into the solar energy that the TVA would walk away from a program that's, I think has been successful."

Under the program, anyone using solar energy to power their home or business, would get a 30 percent tax credit and credit to their electric bill, sometimes hundreds of dollars, for the solar energy generated from the panels.

During a solar energy workshop Saturday morning, Steve Johnson from LightWave Solar Energy said this will be a major hit for the growing business.

"It would slow the market down and all the job growth we've been seeing in the solar industry would revert into layoffs," said Johnson.

TVA said they have currently spent or committed to spending 31 million of the 50 million dollars for the program.

Johnson said he believes the hold could mean millions of dollars lost for the state of Tennessee.

"We can't take advantage of those funds and there is a limited time. So, we can't take advantage of those funds and there is a limited time, so we don't have time to waste. you know the stimulus money has to be used in a couple of years," said Johnson.

Solar panels can be installed in a home within 4 days, and can run anywhere from 15 to 40- thousand dollars.

The TVA said they are working with distributors to revamp the program.

Email: mwashington@newschannel5.com

University Students Compete in Madrid to Build Best Solar Energy House

AFP) – 10 hours ago
MADRID — Students representing 17 universities from around world began a 10-day competition in Madrid Friday to design and build the best house run only by solar energy.
The Solar Decathlon Europe (SDE) competition, which brought together student architects and engineers, will conclude on June 27 with the jury naming three winners.
"The competition is called Solar Decathlon Europe as (the competitors) must pass 10 tests as in the Olympic decathlon event," said SDE director Javier Serra Maria-Tome.
The jury, made up of experts in architecture and solar systems, must decide which are the best of the 17 houses based on criteria such as "the best architecture, exterior and interior" or "the best integration of technological components in the architecture," he said.
The teams have each received 100,000 euros (123,000 dollars) from the Spanish housing ministry, but they are also permitted to use additional funds.
Solar Decathlon Europe is taking place in Europe for the first time.
It is organised by the US Department of Energy and was staged in the United States in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2009.
In Madrid, there are five teams from Spain, two from Germany, two from France, two from the US, two from China, one British and one Finnish.
The "solar village" where the 17 houses will be on show, is next to Madrid Royal Palace and will be open to the public.
Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.

Taiwan Invests in US Solar Technology

AFP) – 1 day ago
TAIPEI — Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said Thursday it was investing 50 million US dollars in an American solar-panel maker in its latest venture into the renewable energy.
TSMC, the world's top contract microchip maker by revenue, said it was taking a 21-percent stake in California-based Stion via its venture capital unit VentureTech Alliance.
Stion will license and transfer its thin-film technology to TSMC, which will provide solar modules to Stion using the technology, it said without elaborating.
TSMC announced last year an investment of about 192 million dollars for a 20-percent stake in Motech Industries Inc., Taiwan's largest producer of solar cells.
As growth in the semiconductor business slows, TSMC and other companies in the sector hope to find new ways of making money, and solar energy is one area expected to see rapid expansion in coming years.
Taiwan has estimated its solar energy industry will be worth up to 200 billion Taiwan dollars (6.25 billion US dollars) by 2020.
The island's parliament last year passed a major renewable energy bill aimed at adding between 6,500 and 10,000 megawatts of installed energy from renewable sources over the next 20 years.
Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

Solar Assets Bought and Sold

RENO, NV, Jun 16, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Hybrid Energy Holdings, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: HYBE) announced today a further 360% increase in the value of its Assets with the signing a Technology Transfer Agreement and Joint Development Agreement with KS IP Holdings, LLC, a private company specializing in clean energy technologies, to acquire and develop a select group of technology Assets from KS-IPH's portfolio.

The Company recently announced its scheduled release of its year-end financials reflecting an 1800% book value increase in Assets, including approximately $5,000,000 in cash.

The transaction is valued at $18,000,000, purchased through an equity-building issuance of Preferred Stock and will create no debt for the Company. This transaction is the first in a series of anticipated acquisitions planned as a result of the Joint Development acquisition under its recently announced Solar Energy Acquisition and Development Project; the first official project of the Company's portfolio diversification strategy.

In addition to the Technology Transfer portion of the Agreement, the income producing Joint Development portion of the Agreement affords KS-IPH an option to acquire Development and Distribution Rights to certain technologies. The Company will provide further updates as to the specific terms of this income-generating Product Development and Distribution Agreement.

The Solar Energy Acquisition and Development Project is the first major acquisition and development project under the Company's New Energy Initiative, which calls for the aggressive investment in, acquisition of and development of nascent 'New Energy' technologies, Intellectual Property assets and operations in the Clean Energy, Energy Smart Technologies and Carbon Capture & Storage sectors of the Energy Sector.

The Company recently announced Phase II of its growth and acquisition strategy; the diversification and expansion of its current asset holdings with the launch of the 'New Energy Initiative.' The Company has successfully established a strong and growing asset based of clean energy producing assets with strong recurring profits and cash-flows. The company will continue its acquisitions in this sector and expand the scope of its acquisitions.

"The Solar Energy industry will return to high growth in 2010 and also over the next 5 years. Even in the slowest growth scenario, the global market will be 2.5 times its current size by 2014. Under the Production Led scenario, the fastest growing forecast, annual industry revenues approach $100 billion by 2014," according to NPD Group which publishes The Leading Annual World Solar PV Industry Report.

The Solar Energy Acquisition and Development Project, together with the addition of technologies to increase the Company's production efficiencies and profitability, will increase the Company's revenue and shareholder value.

The company is assessing the acquisition of several new assets, operations and technologies and encourages further technology submittals and developmental joint ventures through the Merger & Acquisition portal at www.HybridEnergyHoldings.com

About Hybrid Energy Holdings Hybrid Energy Holdings (HEH) acquires and operates profitable energy companies with strong historical cash-flow and sustainable profitability. The Company acquires sector-specific technology and assets as part of its Phase II Clean Energy Initiative. HEH's prior foundation building acquisitions focused primarily on traditional and proven fuel production. The company now turns its growth strategy to adding the latest in energy conservation and power co-generation technologies. HEH may acquire nascent energy technology or rights as portfolio enhancing assets. HEH's primary business strategy is the acquisition of diverse, profitable energy related assets that provide synergistic profits and revenue enhancements across all portfolio companies.

HEH believes its combination of profitability and mitigated-risk funding structures provides long-term shareholder equity appreciation.

The company maintains its web site at: www.HybridEnergyHoldings.com

Safe-Harbor Statement This release contains statements or projections regarding future performance that are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. The company's filings contain various RISK FACTORS (and are incorporated on the Company's website "Investors" section by reference) and should be read before any investment decision.


Contact:
Investor Relations
Tel: +1 (775) 636-7602
Fax: +1 (775) 996-7330
info@HybridEnergyHoldings.com

Solar Delaware Deal is Signed

DOVER, DEL.

The signing of key power purchase agreements has paved the way for construction to begin in Delaware on one of the mid-Atlantic region's largest solar energy power plants.

Construction on the 10-megawatt Dover SUN Park will begin later this year on 103 acres owned by the city of Dover.

Officials said Tuesday that the city has signed a 20-year agreement to purchase all of the energy produced at the facility, which will supply more than two percent of the city's current energy requirements, or enough to power about 1,300 homes.

Delmarva Power and a group of nine municipally owned utilities have signed agreements with the park's owner, White Oak Solar Energy LLC, for the purchase of renewable energy credits.

U.S. Bureau of Land Management Announces Land Rental Rates for Solar Energy

www.sustainableBusiness.com News
Click here to find out more!

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Friday released a rental schedule for solar energy right-of-way authorizations on U.S. public lands.

BLM Director Bob Abbey said the rental schedule moves the nation closer to greater reliance on renewable, clean energy sources. “Today, we are providing the solar energy industry the level of certainty it needs about the costs associated with projects on the public lands and ensuring a fair return to American taxpayers for the use of their public lands,” he said.

The BLM is required by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to collect an annual rental payment for right-of-way authorizations on the public lands. FLPMA also requires that rents for these authorizations reflect the fair market value for the use of the public lands.

The solar rental schedule was developed based on review and analysis by the BLM, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of Energy of economic models comparing the effects various rental rates may have on different kinds of solar projects.

The BLM has said it will complete the review process by the end of the year for more than two dozen "fast-tracked" proposals for large-scale solar power developments on public lands in the Southwest U.S.

The solar rental schedule includes a "Base Rent" for the acreage of public land included within the right-of-way authorization and a "Megawatt (MW) Capacity Fee" based on the MW-size of the project.

The “Base Rent” will be paid upon the date of issuance of the right-of-way authorization and will be paid on a continuing annual basis during the term of the authorization. The “Base Rent” is a per-acre rental fee that varies from county to county, based on the different average rural land values for each county published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Base rates range from $15.70 per acre for some counties in New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona to as much as $313.88 per acre in Yuma County, Arizona and Riverside County California.

The “MW Capacity Fee” will be paid on an annual basis upon the start of generation of electricity from a facility, based on the MW-size of that facility. No “MW Capacity Fee” will be due until a facility is in operation.

The MW capacity fee is calculated using a formula that includes an average electricity price of $0.06 per kilowatt hour and an average Federal bond yield of 5%. The Federal bond yield reflects the rate of return the public would expect for the use of Federal resources. The formula for the MW capacity fee is as follows:

* Photovoltaic: The MW capacity fee is $5,256 per year, calculated as (authorized capacity on public land in MWs) x (8,760 hours per year) x (20% capacity factor) x (5% Federal bond yield) x ($0.06 average price per kilowatt hour) x (1,000 kilowatts per MW) = $5,256 per year for each MW of capacity.
* Concentrated PV and concentrated solar power without storage: The MW capacity fee is $6,570 per year, calculated as (authorized capacity on public land in MWs) x (8,760 hours per year) x (25% capacity factor) x (5% Federal bond yield) x ($0.06 average price per kilowatt hour) x (1,000 kilowatts per MW) = $6,570 per year for each MW of capacity.
* Concentrated solar power with storage capacity of 3 hours or more: The MW capacity fee is $7,884 per year, calculated as(authorized capacity on public land in MWs) x (8,760 hours per year) x (30% capacity factor) x (5% Federal bond yield) x ($0.06 average price per kilowatt hour) x (1,000 kilowatts per MW) = $7,884 per year for each MW of capacity.

As an example, the MW capacity fee for a 400-MW photovoltaic solar energy right-of-way authorization would be $2,102,400 per year (400 MW x $5,256 per MW), implemented over a 5-year period after start of generation.

The MW capacity fee for a 400-MW concentrated PV or concentrated solar power right-of-way authorization without storage capacity would be $2,628,000 per year (400 MW x $6,570 per MW), implemented over a 5-year period after start of generation.

The MW capacity fee for a 400-MW concentrated solar power right-of-way authorization with storage capacity of 3 hours would be $3,153,600 per year (400 MW x $7,884 per MW), implemented over a 5-year period after start of generation.

For more detailed information, visit the link below.

Website: www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Memos_and_Bulletins/national_instruction/2010/IM_2010-141.html

India Committed to Solar Energy

BS Reporter
If a 584-page report can be distilled into one basic question it is this: who should meet the cost of funding personal injury litigation?

Sir Rupert answers his own question emphatically: defendants should no longer meet the cost of these additional liabilities, and the Back to the Future solution is for the burden to fall onto the individual claimant.

What has changed in 10 years that makes it now so iniquitous that defendants should continue to pay success fees and after the event (ATE) premiums?

Liability insurers have certainly complained long and loud over this additional expense and the system has been mired in satellite litigation. Success fee percentages have gone down over this period, so that in the vast majority of PI cases success fees are fixed at 12.5% or 25%. ATE premiums have, however, increased significantly, partly because there is no effective mechanism whereby the payer can control the cost. But necessity currently trumps proportionality, as it has to if ATE insurance is the vehicle for costs’ protection for injured people.

No easy solutions

Sir Rupert has recommended an alternative to ATE insurance: qualified one-way costs shifting (see this issue p 519). The principle is fine. Most PI claims are successful and so defendants pay out much more in ATE premiums for those successful cases than they recover in costs for unsuccessful ones. By replacing ATE with one-way shifting the defendant makes significant cost savings while the claimant’s costs protection in losing cases is preserved. Both sides are protected (the “qualified” bit) by a mechanism akin to the legal aid costs protection provision in the Access to Justice Act 1999 that renders the claimant liable for some costs in fraudulent and frivolous claims or where he is “‘conspicuously wealthy”.

There are, however, two important flaws with this proposal:

l the mechanism needs to be refined to offer the claimant proper protection. As drafted it is very wide, allowing a judge considerable discretion to penalise a claimant in costs.

l ATE insurance meets the cost of disbursements (approximately £500 according to Sir Rupert’s figures) in losing cases. Without an ATE policy these costs will be left in the lap of the claimant or his lawyers.

Claimant lawyers already fund disbursements themselves (subject to reclaiming them under the ATE policy in losing cases). Sir Rupert suggests they may afford to write off disbursements in unsuccessful cases because of the savings they make following abolition of referral fees. This is wishful thinking. In short this proposal on disbursements will torpedo the CFA model and will deter many claimants from enforcing their rights.

Disbursement levy

The answer could be to add a disbursement levy on defendants in winning cases. This would be a relatively modest sum when spread across all such cases. However, Sir Rupert is implacably opposes such a scheme—he considers it “perverse” that defendants should have to pay that part of the ATE policy which covers disbursements in losing cases.

Even if abolishing recoverability can resolve the ATE issue it does not follow that it can work for success fees; indeed there are good reasons why it will not. Sir Rupert’s proposals involve a balancing act whereby the claimant takes on the liability for the success fee (subject to a 25% cap) but gains a 10% premium on general damages. He is persuaded by his academic assessor Professor Fenn that the “great majority of claimants (whose cases settle early)” will be better off.

If one tries to model a range of claim values using this formula, whether or not the claimant is better off or not rather depends on what assumptions one makes about the proportion of general damages to specials, the amount of success fee that will be charged to the claimant under Jackson, the time the case takes to settle, and the applicable level of base costs.

For example at the bottom end of the scale, if in a road accident claim in the new road traffic accident claims process that settles at Stage 2, general damages are £1,000, specials are £200, base costs are £1,200, and the success fee is 12.5%, the claimant will gain £100 in general damages but will pay £150 in success fee and so will be £50 worse off.

At the top end of the scale Stewarts Law LLP have demonstrated in their response to the Jackson report that in serious injury cases, where general damages are small as a proportion of overall damages, the increase in generals would be more than offset by payment of the success fee, such that in their dataset the average claimant would lose over £47,000 from his damages.

It is not sensible to proceed with a radical proposal based on doubtful and unsubstantiated assertion about its effect, and as part of the post Jackson report evaluation process the Fenn figures must be published.

Ultimately, claimants are merely seeking compensatory damages for negligently caused injury. They should not be undercompensated to relieve tortfeasors of some of costs burden of litigation. Liability insurers are professional risk managers—it is right that their business models should have to factor in adverse costs. If the additional costs of funding litigation are considered too high then Jackson LJ acknowledges that there are ways to reduce them, such as further fixing and tailoring of success fees and ATE premiums. The answer is not simply to shift the liability to the injured person.

Stuart Kightley, APIL EC member and a partner at Osbornes Solicitors

Solar Installers Playing Politics for Jobs

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jun 07, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Companies striving to build a stronger solar energy industry throughout Pennsylvania are converging on Harrisburg to persuade lawmakers to pass House Bill 2405 by sharing personal stories and demonstrating the role that tax incentives and state grants are playing in creating new, sustainable, good-paying jobs and helping homeowners and businesses better control their electricity costs.

"We've made valuable progress with the state's alternative energy requirement, the Federal Investment Tax Credit and the state's Sunshine solar grant program," said Kira Costanza of SunPower Builders based in Collegeville, PA. "Reducing carbon emissions in an energy economy heavily dependent on fossil fuels takes time. House Bill 2405 helps the state with the necessary next steps to do what many neighboring states are doing by boosting their commitments to renewable energy and enabling consumers to generate some of their own electricity."

House Bill 2405 is expected to be voted on in committee tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8th. "Time is running short in this legislative session to pass this timely energy legislation for Pennsylvania. Due to the success of the federal and state solar incentive programs, the solar industry needs the requirement for utilities and electric generation suppliers to purchase renewable energy be increased to match the supply of projects waiting to be developed while there are still incentives to help bring down the cost," said Maureen Mulligan, a lobbyist for the two key solar trade associations active in Pennsylvania. HB#2405's principal focus is on advancing coal combustion technologies that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. But it also would set the fee utilities must pay if they do not sell a requisite amount of electricity generated by renewable sources such as solar and wind. Those fees can help sustain renewable energy programs in the Commonwealth.

For each 1,000 kilowatt hour shortfall, the fee, called an alternative compliance payment, would be $450 in 2011, and decline 3% percent annually. In addition, HB 2405 would enhance the role that Alternate Energy Credits would play in helping finance renewable energy projects. A solar system earns one Alternate Energy Credit for each 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity it generates. Those credits can be sold for cash, in some cases in advance based on projected generation to help defray up-front installation costs.

Just last month, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed a new solar bill into law that boosts the state's ability to achieve its 20% renewable electricity mandate by 2022 (2% from solar) with a compliance payment set at $400 through 2014. This month, Delaware is expected to pass legislation that could set the compliance fee at $500 and raise the amount of electricity to be generated from renewable sources to a region-leading 25% by 2025, with 3.5% of that coming from solar. As with other states, Maryland and Delaware are incentivizing in-state solar projects designed and installed by companies in their states. Under this bill, Pennsylvania would also restrict projects to those built within the state and would increase the solar share from .5% to 3%.

The twenty solar businesses organized by PA Solar Energy Industries Association, who will be attending legislative meetings in Harrisburg next week, will be discussing the benefits of passing HB 2405 before the legislature recesses for the summer and will hand out a one-page summary of testimonials by solar energy professionals who attribute their growth to past legislative actions that promoted solar energy.

"Before the Pennsylvania Sunshine solar grant program began, there were about 15 certified solar installation companies in Pennsylvania. Today there are more than 500. And many of those employ more than 10 employees," said Ron Celentano, a solar expert and troubleshooter in Wyndmoor, PA who chairs the Pennsylvania Division of the Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association. "That is a testament to the job engine that the solar industry is becoming throughout the Commonwealth."

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Division of the Solar Energy Industries Association

Solar Energy Benefits New York Economy

Salvatore Cardoni

More than 22,000 direct or induced green jobs. $20 billion in economic output. And a measly 39 cent increase in the average residential electric bill. These are the positive effects that would be levied upon New York if state legislators pass a landmark solar power bill currently under consideration, according to Vote Solar, a solar energy advocacy organization.

The New York Solar Jobs and Development Act would require the Empire State to install 5,000 megawatts of solar power by 2025—that’s enough sun energy to power approximately 1 million homes.

“This legislation represents a strong investment in New York’s energy future, one that would deliver returns immediately and for generations to come,” said Republican State Senator Andrew Lanza in a Vote Solar press release.

The amount of sunlight that hits the Earth in just 40 minutes is equivalent to the amount of energy our planet consumes in one year.

The report comes at a particularly bright stretch for solar energy.

Earlier this week, TakePart reported that First Solar, the world’s leading low-cost manufacturer of solar modules, cannot meet this year’s demand for the clean-energy panels. In the burgeoning green economy, it’s a very good sign when demand outpaces supply. And then there was a report out of Japan that the Shimizu Corporation has a clean energy solution that is literally out of this world—the company wants to put a solar power plant on the moon.

According to an April report from the Solar Energy Industries Association:

Despite the Great Recession of 2009, the U.S. solar energy industry grew—both in new installations and employment. Solar industry revenues also surged despite the economy, climbing 36 percent in 2009.

Another sign of continued optimism in solar energy: venture capitalists invested more in solar technologies than any other clean technology in 2009. In total, $1.4 billion in venture capital flowed to solar companies in 2009.

Fidelis Energy Progresses in India

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, Jun 10, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Fidelis Energy Inc. (PINKSHEETS: FDEI) is pleased to report on the progress of the 5MW Solar Energy Facility near Jaisalmer, India. The 5MW project is part of a larger proposed 100 MW project and will be the first of its kind in India.

"It has been and exciting and rewarding journey for us as a company this past year in working towards the goal of becoming a pioneer in the solar industry in India. This is a very exciting time for solar and for the alternative energy sector worldwide, and we are proud to be part of it," stated Mr. James Poole, President and CEO of Fidelis Energy Inc.

Dear Shareholders,

I am pleased to write to you today with an update on the various activities we as a company have been engaged in and an overview of our current objectives. I am proud of our accomplishments to date and am excited about our future prospects with a sharp focus on becoming a leader in solar power generation.

Since signing the Agreement with Esar Solar Power Pvt. Ltd. (ESP), the key objectives have been:

1. Produce a Detailed Project Report for presentation to government officials in Rajasthan 2. Produce a Feasibility Study for the government officials in Rajasthan 3. Identify and purchase a sufficient area of land suitable for a 100 Megawatt Solar Energy Facility 4. Secure Power Purchase Agreement(s) with the state's government-owned power distribution company 5. Obtain financing in the form of debt or a Joint Venture partner 6. Secure an implementation agreement with the government 7. Complete Phase I-A construction of the Solar Energy Facility (5MW) and connect to the grid

Detailed Project Report & Feasibility Study

The Detailed Project Report and the Feasibility Study are both well underway. We have engineers both here and in India compiling the data required. The company has a planned presentation date of July 31, 2010, to present these reports to the government officials in Rajasthan. These reports are the base documents for planning and implementing the project in Rajasthan.

Land

The team, including a number of Indian Government officials, targeted the land most suited for the project. The location is perfectly suited for the project because it is located in the Thar desert. The region basks in an average of 330 days of sunshine per year and receives up to 6.2KW per hour of solar energy per square meter everyday, which is the highest in the world. The entire 960 acres are secured by deposit and being purchased from a syndicate of landowners at a cost of approximately $3.7 million. This site is approximately 5 kilometers to the nearest government substation connecting to the electrical grid system.

Financing

The company is currently in negotiations with 6 (six) separate entities interested in additional funding for this project. Three of which are well known financial institutions looking for solar projects and the other three are very well known solar companies. Management feels that a Letter of Intent from one or more of these sources could be signed within the next 15 days. The Company has already secured a $30 million financing with Swiss-based Empres Voss Capital (EVC) announced early this year on January 19, 2010.

Complete Construction of Phase I-A of the Solar Energy Facility

This project will be the largest Solar Energy Facility in India. Phase I-A calls for the construction of 5 MW of power at a construction cost of approximately $25 million USD. Currently all of India has a total of approximately 3.2MW of installed grid-interactive Solar Power capacity. Just this first phase is almost twice more solar power than currently installed. It will provide enough electricity to power approximately 18,000 homes.

India's National Solar Plan

In July 2009, India unveiled a $19 billion plan, to produce 20 GW of solar power by 2020. Under the plan, solar-powered equipment and applications would be mandatory in all government buildings including hospitals and hotels. On November 18, 2009, it was reported that India was ready to launch its National Solar Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, with plans to generate 1,000 MW of power by 2013.

Advisory Board

In early March we elected to form an Advisory Board in order to bring on seasoned experts to assist the company with expert advice including Technical, Political and Business. Demyan Bondarenko was announced on March 10, 2010 as the company's Director of Solar Project Development and Fedir Ruzicka as the European Solar Energy Operations Manager. The company plans to announce 4 to 5 more advisors to the board shortly. These board members will help the company as it grows and tackles the challenges of putting together large industrial size solar projects. The Advisory Board members are successful individuals chosen because of their knowledge and experience in their respect fields of expertise.

Sincerely Yours,

James Poole President & CEO, Fidelis Energy Inc.

About Fidelis Energy Inc.

Fidelis Energy Inc. ("FDEI") is an energy company focused on developing, constructing and operating solar energy projects exclusively or in partnership with other energy companies. Fidelis is also in the development stage of designing solar photovoltaic (PV) cell technology products and plans to manufacture and distribute these products in the future.

Fidelis owns a unique patent pending solar cell technology based on photovoltaic cells with integral light-transmitting wave guides in a ceramic sleeve. The advantage of this technology is the efficiency of less exposed surface area being required to generate electricity. The light-transmitting particles act as wave guides and allow the sun-exposed conversion area of the solar cell to be shifted readily from horizontal to vertical to capture more sunlight. The ceramic sleeve eliminates the need for expensive vacuum chambers, thereby allowing less expensive materials to be used in solar cell production.

We are developing, with plans to eventually manufacture and market, innovative solar cells and solar power products for a wide range of applications based on our technology that increases light-trapping while enabling a variety of materials to be used. Our technology employs multiple stacked solar cells in a ceramic sleeve that uses nano-particles and crystal wave guides to carry light from the opening down to the last junction in the solar cell. Competitors' processes that use vacuum chambers (instead of a ceramic sleeve) generally don't allow for material substitution because of contamination issues. We believe our technology will also allow manufacturers to quickly and economically shift to new materials if a shortage of any one type of material occurs. In general, our technology will offer a flexible, cost-effective solution for increased light-trapping and will provide increased efficiency.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release, which are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with the development of an early stage company in the alternative energy industry, its products, and the entry into new markets for such products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations, and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance those beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consider all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosed in the Company's current and periodic reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Contact:
Fidelis Energy Inc.
James Pool
President
800-925-2381
info@fidelisenergyinc.com

India Bullish on Solar Energy

(Source: Datamonitor)India added a record 2.33GW of renewable energy capacity in the past year, but only a miniscule 8MW was contributed by solar power. However, the government is now promoting the use of solar technology through various incentives; if these work, Datamonitor believes that they could lead to sizeable investments in this sector.Between March 2009 and March 2010, India added 2.33GW of grid-connected renewable power capacity, more than double the amount installed in the previous year. It now has about 16.8GW of renewable energy capacity, contributing approximately 7% of the total capacity in the country.

Within the renewable space, India has traditionally invested in wind power, with more than 60% of the total renewables grid enhancement in the last year coming from wind. However, the government is now looking at solar energy as an important growth area and has set up the National Solar Mission to promote sustainable growth while addressing India's energy security challenges. The goal of this initiative is to have 20GW of installed solar energy capacity in the country by 2022.

To achieve this, India has introduced policies and regulatory measures, such as financial incentives, capital subsidies and cuts to customs duties. The government has also made provisions to attract international investors. One example of major foreign investment was the Clinton Climate Initiative entering into an agreement with the Rajasthan state government in January 2010 to set up solar parks in the state. As a result of this, more than 80 power companies (mainly domestic firms including Reliance Industries, Jindal Power, GVK Power & Infrastructure and Moser Baer Photo Voltaic), have registered with the state government of Rajasthan with a view to setting up solar plants. Furthermore, Moser Baer recently commissioned its largest thin film solar farm, with an installed capacity of 1MW, in the state of Maharashtra under a consortium agreement with the Germany-based SunEnergy Europe.

On the back of government investments and incentives, the solar energy sector has become attractive for equipment manufacturers and also engineering, procurement and construction players. Given India's ever-growing energy demand and the availability of sun and wind resources all year round, Datamonitor believes that the nation will continue to see a slew of foreign investments and collaborations in renewable-based power generation projects. Furthermore, there exist multiple opportunities for technical collaboration and investments based on public-private-partnerships across the renewable value chain, particularly in the solar sector.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

Green Power for Tripura India

India's federal government, along with Tripura state officials, has been actively working to promote green energy through solar power.

The Tripura government has plans of replacing at least 10 percent of conventional energy use in Agartala with solar energy.

[Subash Chowdhury, Director, Tripura Renewal Energy Development Agency]:
"In Tripura, we are trying to develop solar energy power plants at different pockets where… power is not available or not likely to reach very shortly. Apart from that, for the remotest corner of the state, for the poor people, we are providing solar home lighting system, solar lantern and other solar gadgets at a very subsidized rate so that they can get the benefit of electricity which is load-shedding-free of nowadays."

Remote villages of the state are also in line to get solar power.

[Basanti Biswas, Solar Power User]:
"This (solar lighting system) is a great benefit for us, as we do not have an electricity connection and live in darkness. Now we can do lot of work during the night hours and our children can also study.”

Almost 700 hamlets and over 40 villages in remote areas have already been provided solar energy, benefiting more than 32,000 families, mostly tribals.

[Gautam Deb, Solar Power User]:
"We get hot water from this solar energy. Electricity is not being used. Without electricity we can get hot water during winters. It is very cost-effective. The minimum cost we pay is for installing solar plates."

Solar energy will also be provided to more than 200 additional villages in the state this year.

Dupont Pursues Solar Technology in Delaware

By RANDALL CHASE (AP) – 4 hours ago
WILMINGTON, Del. — Improvements in photovoltaic technology will play a key role in meeting the world's energy needs as the global population soars to more than 9 billion people over the next 40 years, DuPont CEO Ellen Kullman said Monday.
At a ceremony announcing the opening of a new photovoltaic applications lab at DuPont's Chestnut Run facility, Kullman said the expanding population will significantly increase global demand for alternative energy sources.
The challenge for DuPont, officials said, is making that energy affordable.
"It has to be an economic reality to help the world solve these issues," Kullman told an audience that included DuPont employees and customers, Gov. Jack Markell and U.S. Rep. Michael Castle.
Research at the new lab, which will work in collaboration with DuPont photovoltaic labs in Switzerland and China, is aimed at using new materials and engineering processes to make harvesting and using energy from the sun more efficient and less expensive. The ultimate goal is to achieve "grid parity," where the cost of electricity from solar energy systems is equal to that for electricity from conventional energy sources such as fossil fuels.
"Today, there's still a pretty big gap," said David Miller, president of DuPont Electronics and Communications.
Miller said DuPont is taking a three-pronged approach toward improvements in solar energy applications: increasing the energy efficiency and power output of photovoltaic cells, extending the durability and life of photovoltaic modules so that savings from the upfront costs can be realized, and reducing manufacturing and installation costs.
"All three of these components are key to helping the PV industry achieve grid parity, which is the important tipping point for a truly sustainable industry," said Steve Freilich, director of materials science and engineering for DuPont.
DuPont officials have said they expect sales of photovoltaics to grow by more than 50 percent this year and exceed $1 billion in 2011, a year ahead of schedule.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Suntech Power Expanding in China

June 6 (Reuters) - Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd China's largest solar panel marker, plans to invest 2.68 billion yuan ($393 million) to build 1 gigawatt in additional production capacity in Shanghai over the next three years as it rushes to meet surging demand, Chairman Zhengrong Shi said.

Despite an expected cut in German solar power subsidies in July that analysts warn will dampen third-quarter demand, Shi told a briefing for reporters on Saturday that returns for power producers in that market would still be attractive, while other markets such as the United States were growing rapidly.
"We're all sold out for this year. We're short of capacity and can't meet our clients' needs," he said.

"We have a backlog in the second quarter. We have a backlog in the third quarter. We haven't seen any impact from the reduction in German subsidies."
He predicted that Germany, the biggest market for solar cells, would see 70 to 80 percent full-year growth this year, while the U.S. market would double in size in the second half of the year from the first half, reaching 1 GW for the full year.

The first phase of the company's new Shanghai plant, with 180 megawatts of production capacity, would be completed at the end of June, he said, putting it easily on course to reach its total production capacity target for this year of 1.4 GW, after reaching 1.2 GW at the end of the first quarter.

Shi added that expansion of thin-film manufacturing capacity in Shanghai, now at 200 megawatts, may be delayed due to low competitiveness of thin-film modules and a need for further research and development to boost conversion rates.
He also reiterated that the fall in the euro was taking a heavy toll on the company's bottom line.

Sanyo and UC San Diego to Develop Smart Grid Technology

Sanyo Electric Group announced on Friday that it had agreed to participate in and finance a joint development program with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). This is Sanyo's first energy project with an American university. Sanyo will contribute $320 million over three years to the research project.In this program, Sanyo’s “Smart Energy System,” based on the “Smart Grid” concept, will mesh with solar forecasting systems, energy storage, and general energy management technology developed at UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering. The project aims to enable stable, reliable, renewable energy generation in areas that depend increasingly on renewable energy such as California.

“It is our hope that through this agreement we can create a value-added system to offer to the United States as a whole, expanding the concept of a smart-grid society beyond the boundaries of this campus and San Diego.” said Mitsuru Homma, Executive Vice President of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd, in a statement.The first step in the joint research involves applying a solar forecasting system to the Smart Energy System, in order to increase the efficiency of power supply.

"Sanyo is a leader in smart energy systems, and we look forward to contributing with our own research to [create] more efficient, renewable energy solutions," said Frieder Seible, Dean of the Jacobs School in a statement.

Beginning in July, two UCSD students will work at the Sanyo’s headquarter in Osaka, Japan. They will study solar energy generation technology by working on the Smart Energy System.

Nevada Commits to Solar

By Stephanie Tavares
Nevada is serious about going solar.

The state already has more solar energy per capita than any other, but with its small population that hasn't meant much to solar developers and manufacturers.

Enter the state Office of Energy.

It announced this evening plans to contract with solar photovoltaic installers and developers in the state to build solar installations -- including panel-covered parking shades -- at several state buildings across Nevada.

The office is preparing a request for proposals that should be ready for developers and installers by the end of the month.

It is seeking proposals for projects at 15 specific sites, including nine in Clark County, as well as proposals for Department of Corrections sites.

Among the proposed projects are solar panel-covered parking shades at the Grant Sawyer building in Las Vegas, the Henderson, Flamingo Road and Decatur Boulevard Department of Motor Vehicle buildings, and shaded parking structures and removable solar installations on vacant land between Charleston and Oakey boulevards.

"We will lead by example and make use of clean solar power for state buildings," Gov. Jim Gibbons said in a statement. "We will save taxpayers millions of dollars in utility costs."

The new solar installations are to be paid for out of money set aside to pay electricity bills on state buildings.

The state is expecting the proposals to include contract details by which the state will pay the installer back the costs of components and installation through a set per kilowatt hour fee. With the cost of solar panels dropping over the past few years, the state expects the fee proposed by the installers to be less than the cost of buying electricity during the day from NV Energy.

The endeavor is inspired by a recently completed project at the state National Guard facility, which was overseen by state Energy Director Jim Groth.

Evergreen Solar Upgraded Technology

MARLBORO, Mass., Jun 03, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Evergreen Solar, Inc. (ESLR 0.89, 0.00, 0.00%) , a manufacturer of STRING RIBBON(TM) solar power products with its proprietary silicon wafer manufacturing technology, announced today that an 8-megawatt power plant in Neustrelitz, Germany used more than 7 megawatts of panels manufactured by Evergreen Solar. It is Evergreen Solar's largest installation in company history.

The project, which was designed and installed by IBC SOLAR Invest in cooperation with the city of Neustrelitz, uses approximately 34,000 IBC Polysol String Ribbon 200, 205 VG solar panels made by Evergreen Solar. It will provide enough electricity to power more than 2,600 homes in the area and will save more than 4,480 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.The installation is located on a former Soviet military training base. Prior to the installation, IBC SOLAR undertook a munitions recovery service to ensure the land -- approximately 250,000 square meters in size -- is now completely safe and free of any hidden mines.

"This is a milestone project for Evergreen Solar as we continue to expand our company's global footprint with the largest installation in company history," said Peter Rusch, Evergreen Solar's vice president of sales for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. "This project is especially significant as the land on which it is built has been completely remediated by IBC SOLAR and is now safe for everyday use. This is a significant environmental improvement for the area and is in line with Evergreen Solar's mission to provide the most environmentally friendly solar panels ever made. Today, Evergreen's String Ribbon solar panels have the smallest carbon footprint and quickest energy payback of any silicon-based panel."

"For IBC SOLAR quality has absolute priority. Our products are subject to severe inspections and quality controls at any stage of the production: at the manufacturer, at delivery and at our own test system," said Mr Norbert Hahn, board member of IBC SOLAR AG. "With our internal flasher and in our climate chamber we test durability and performance of modules. In addition, all systems are certified by independent testing institutes such as TUV, VDE and Fraunhofer ISE. The IBC Polysol Panels made by Evergreen Solar comply with our quality requirements."

About Evergreen Solar, Inc.

Evergreen Solar, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets STRING RIBBON(TM) solar power products using its proprietary, low-cost wafer technology. The company's patented wafer manufacturing technology uses significantly less polysilicon than conventional processes. Evergreen Solar's products provide reliable and environmentally clean electric power for residential and commercial applications globally. For more information about the company, please visit www.evergreensolar.com.

About IBC Solar

IBC SOLAR is a leading global photovoltaic specialist, offering complete solutions for power production from solar energy. The company covers the entire spectrum, from planning to the turnkey handover of photovoltaic installations. Globally, IBC SOLAR has already implemented more than 100,000 turnkey photovoltaic systems with a total power output of 880 megawatt (MWp). The scale of these installations ranges from large photovoltaic power stations and solar parks which feed electricity into the network, to off-grid systems. IBC SOLAR sells its photovoltaic components and systems over an extensive network of trade partners. As general contractor, the photovoltaic integrator plans and implements large scale solar projects. Through maintenance and monitoring, IBC SOLAR ensures an optimal performance of the solar park.

IBC SOLAR was founded in 1982 in Bad Staffelstein. IBC SOLAR is represented around the globe by affiliates in Netherlands, France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Greece and Malaysia and currently employs around 350 employees, of which 250 are in Germany. The international business group IBC SOLAR is directed from its headquarters in Bad Staffelstein.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6314642&lang=en

SOURCE: Evergreen Solar, Inc.

Solar News from SDG&E

SAN DIEGO, CA, Jun 02, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today introduced two new solar power demonstration installations that concentrate the light and heat from the sun to generate power in two distinctively different ways.

The concentrated solar power technology employed by the utility's El Cajon, Calif., operations center include:


-- The PowerDish(TM), built by Infinia of Kennewick, Wash., a mirrored
disc 15 feet in diameter that concentrates and focuses the sun's
energy onto a compact Stirling engine that converts that energy into
electricity. Each PowerDish produces up to 3,000 watts of electricity,
enough to power a typical home;
-- Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Technology, built by SolFocus of
Mountain View, Calif., uses a reflective optical system to concentrate
sunlight 650 times onto very high-efficiency photovoltaic cells up to
twice as efficient as traditional silicon PV cells. The rectangular
system is 24 feet wide, 18 feet tall and is capable of generating
8,400 watts, enough to power three homes.




The total cost for both projects is $80,000 and will be funded by SDG&E's research and development group.

"The concentrated solar technology we are hosting on our property is more than a bright idea conceived in the lab, it represents the potential leading edge of new and practical forms of renewable power," said James P. Avery, senior vice president of power supply for SDG&E. "Hosting these demonstration projects on our property provides us the opportunity to determine the real-world applications of these systems and their potential on a utility scale."

The demonstrations are expected to continue for 12 to 18 months, after which SDG&E will share the results with the manufacturers.

Today's announcement supports SDG&E's plan to develop green technologies, meet its renewable energy goals and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The company has voluntarily agreed to obtain 33 percent of its electricity portfolio from renewables by 2020.

SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and more than 840,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The utility's area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to creating ways to help our customers save energy and money every day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (SRE 45.22, -0.56, -1.23%) , a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.


Media Contacts:
Art Larson/April Sharp
San Diego Gas & Electric
(877) 866-2066
www.sdge.com

Solar Technology to Keep Bugs Away from Panels

(Media-Newswire.com) - EAST LANSING, Mich. — Solar power might be nature’s most plentiful and benign source of energy, but shiny black solar cells can lure water insects away from critical breeding areas, a Michigan State University scientist and colleagues warn.

Applying white grids or other methods to break up the polarized reflection of light, however, makes mayflies and other aquatic insects far less likely to deposit eggs on the panels thinking that they are water, the group discovered.

“This research demonstrates that solar panels are a strong new source of polarized light pollution that creates ecological traps for many types of insect,” says Bruce Robertson, a research associate at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners. “This is of significant conservation importance given the radical expansion in solar energy development and the strong negative impacts of ecological traps on animal populations.”

Using nonpolarizing white grids, he adds, demonstrates a novel approach to reducing the attractiveness of a false habitat by applying what biologists call habitat fragmentation. That is an effect that usually is harmful to species, but in this case promises to solve a conservation problem.

Robertson’s team estimates that adding white markings to solar cells might reduce their ability to collect solar energy by perhaps 1.8 percent, depending on the amount of space the strips cover.

Conventional solar cells share a problem with glass-clad buildings and other expanses of shiny dark surfaces – even vehicles. Reflected sunlight becomes polarized, or aligned in a single, often horizontal plane, which is how at least 300 species of insect recognize the surface of water bodies to lay their eggs.

When species such as mayflies and caddis flies mistake shiny dark surfaces for water, they set themselves up for reproductive failure and often become easy targets for predators, Robertson and colleagues noted in a recent online article in the journal Conservation Biology. Local population collapse could be a result, with cascading impacts on predators and other species up the food chain.

Humans typically recognize reflected sunlight only as glare, which polarized sunglasses overcome by filtering the horizontal waves through vertically polarized lenses.

Robertson conducted his research in Hungary with scientists associated with Eotvos University in Budapest and Szent Istvan University in Godollo, Hungary. Their work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Hungarian Science Foundation.

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