MEMC Completes Acquisition of Solaicx
ST. PETERS, Mo., July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (NYSE:  WFR), a global leader in the manufacture and sale of wafers to the semiconductor and solar industries, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of privately held Solaicx.

At closing, MEMC paid the initial merger consideration of $66 million in cash, plus an additional amount in cash of approximately $10 million that is equal to amounts that have recently been invested in Solaicx by its existing security holders. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings per share in 2011.

“We are delighted to complete this acquisition and to welcome the employees of Solaicx,” said Ken Hannah, President of MEMC Solar Materials. “The acquisition brings to MEMC talented people and cost-effective, proprietary process and equipment that expand our served market in the solar industry.”

Solaicx, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, has approximately 80 employees and a large-scale production facility in Portland, Oregon.

As a result of the acquisition, MEMC now has proprietary continuous crystal growth manufacturing technology that yields low-cost, high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon wafers for the photovoltaic solar industry. MEMC also has low-cost polysilicon and crystal operations in North America, with support offices around the world that provide customers with industry-leading customer service. The acquisition advances MEMC’s ability to drive solar industry toward grid parity.

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Chant Engineering Installs Bucks County’s Largest Solar System Funded by the PA Sunshine Solar Rebate Program
NEW BRITAIN, Pa., July 2 /PRNewswire/ — Chant Engineering Co. Inc., a global, diversified engineering and manufacturing company, is proud to announce that its new 122 kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar energy system is now in operation. This is the largest system in Bucks County funded by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program. Mercury Solar Systems designed and installed the system and helped the Company secure Federal and State grants for the project.  Further financing was provided by Univest National Bank & Trust Co.

“Over the past several years we have implemented a number of initiatives to reduce our energy costs,” said Jim Chant, President. “A solar energy system was a natural progression for us as we look to achieve our mission of becoming a more efficient and sustainable business.”

The Company’s solar energy system consists of 512 solar panels and 2 inverters. It is expected to produce 131,868 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, offsetting most of Chant’s annual electricity needs. Any excess is passed back into the electric grid. The system will save the equivalent of 3,200 gallons of crude oil every year.

“Chant Engineering has taken great strides to create a sustainable business and this solar system will take them one step closer to that goal,” said Andrew Kleeman, General Manager of Mercury Solar Systems Pennsylvania operation. “Similar to many local small to mid-sized businesses, the Company was experiencing rising electricity costs, which they expect to minimize by going solar.”

Chant’s green conversion started in 2008 with the opening of a new headquarters in New Britain. The building was designed according to guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council. It uses the latest green technologies and construction techniques, including a high degree of thermal insulation, high efficiency lighting controlled by occupancy sensors and rain water harvesting.

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Chant Engineering Installs Bucks County’s Largest Solar System Funded by the PA Sunshine Solar Rebate Program
NEW BRITAIN, Pa., July 2 /PRNewswire/ — Chant Engineering Co. Inc., a global, diversified engineering and manufacturing company, is proud to announce that its new 122 kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar energy system is now in operation. This is the largest system in Bucks County funded by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program. Mercury Solar Systems designed and installed the system and helped the Company secure Federal and State grants for the project.  Further financing was provided by Univest National Bank & Trust Co.

“Over the past several years we have implemented a number of initiatives to reduce our energy costs,” said Jim Chant, President. “A solar energy system was a natural progression for us as we look to achieve our mission of becoming a more efficient and sustainable business.”

The Company’s solar energy system consists of 512 solar panels and 2 inverters. It is expected to produce 131,868 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, offsetting most of Chant’s annual electricity needs. Any excess is passed back into the electric grid. The system will save the equivalent of 3,200 gallons of crude oil every year.

“Chant Engineering has taken great strides to create a sustainable business and this solar system will take them one step closer to that goal,” said Andrew Kleeman, General Manager of Mercury Solar Systems Pennsylvania operation. “Similar to many local small to mid-sized businesses, the Company was experiencing rising electricity costs, which they expect to minimize by going solar.”

Chant’s green conversion started in 2008 with the opening of a new headquarters in New Britain. The building was designed according to guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council. It uses the latest green technologies and construction techniques, including a high degree of thermal insulation, high efficiency lighting controlled by occupancy sensors and rain water harvesting.

Visit the original post at: Solar Power News

Chant Engineering Installs Bucks County’s Largest Solar System Funded by the PA Sunshine Solar Rebate Program
NEW BRITAIN, Pa., July 2 /PRNewswire/ — Chant Engineering Co. Inc., a global, diversified engineering and manufacturing company, is proud to announce that its new 122 kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar energy system is now in operation. This is the largest system in Bucks County funded by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program. Mercury Solar Systems designed and installed the system and helped the Company secure Federal and State grants for the project.  Further financing was provided by Univest National Bank & Trust Co.

“Over the past several years we have implemented a number of initiatives to reduce our energy costs,” said Jim Chant, President. “A solar energy system was a natural progression for us as we look to achieve our mission of becoming a more efficient and sustainable business.”

The Company’s solar energy system consists of 512 solar panels and 2 inverters. It is expected to produce 131,868 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, offsetting most of Chant’s annual electricity needs. Any excess is passed back into the electric grid. The system will save the equivalent of 3,200 gallons of crude oil every year.

“Chant Engineering has taken great strides to create a sustainable business and this solar system will take them one step closer to that goal,” said Andrew Kleeman, General Manager of Mercury Solar Systems Pennsylvania operation. “Similar to many local small to mid-sized businesses, the Company was experiencing rising electricity costs, which they expect to minimize by going solar.”

Chant’s green conversion started in 2008 with the opening of a new headquarters in New Britain. The building was designed according to guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council. It uses the latest green technologies and construction techniques, including a high degree of thermal insulation, high efficiency lighting controlled by occupancy sensors and rain water harvesting.

Visit the original post at: Solar Power News

Chant Engineering Installs Bucks County’s Largest Solar System Funded by the PA Sunshine Solar Rebate Program
NEW BRITAIN, Pa., July 2 /PRNewswire/ — Chant Engineering Co. Inc., a global, diversified engineering and manufacturing company, is proud to announce that its new 122 kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar energy system is now in operation. This is the largest system in Bucks County funded by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program. Mercury Solar Systems designed and installed the system and helped the Company secure Federal and State grants for the project.  Further financing was provided by Univest National Bank & Trust Co.

“Over the past several years we have implemented a number of initiatives to reduce our energy costs,” said Jim Chant, President. “A solar energy system was a natural progression for us as we look to achieve our mission of becoming a more efficient and sustainable business.”

The Company’s solar energy system consists of 512 solar panels and 2 inverters. It is expected to produce 131,868 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, offsetting most of Chant’s annual electricity needs. Any excess is passed back into the electric grid. The system will save the equivalent of 3,200 gallons of crude oil every year.

“Chant Engineering has taken great strides to create a sustainable business and this solar system will take them one step closer to that goal,” said Andrew Kleeman, General Manager of Mercury Solar Systems Pennsylvania operation. “Similar to many local small to mid-sized businesses, the Company was experiencing rising electricity costs, which they expect to minimize by going solar.”

Chant’s green conversion started in 2008 with the opening of a new headquarters in New Britain. The building was designed according to guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council. It uses the latest green technologies and construction techniques, including a high degree of thermal insulation, high efficiency lighting controlled by occupancy sensors and rain water harvesting.

Visit the original post at: Solar Power News

The Four Hurdles of Renewable Energy

American Electric Power CEO Michael Morris is all too familiar with the challenges of incorporating renewable energy into the existing industrial framework. But he believes that the largest of these hurdles can be overcome with sound planning for the future. Here’s what he has to say.

#1 – Moving Renewables to High-Consumption Regions

Unfortunately, the areas that create a large amount of power are not necessarily those where people want to live. The Midwest and Plains states, for instance, are excellent for energy production, but the populations in these areas are relatively sparse.

Why does this matter? Strict regulations make transmitting power cross-country a complicated process. Morris believes that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is moving in the right direction to improve these regulations.

#2 – The Unreliable Nature of Wind and Solar Power

It goes without saying that it’s not always windy and it’s not always sunny. In order to combat the challenge of making up for energy not generated by these sources, says Morris, we need to also rely on the storage of natural gas and electricity. This would make the problem exponentially easier to overcome.

#3 – Lack of Affordability

Unfortunately, wind and solar power are not yet priced competitively with other power sources. However, like all new technology, this will change over time. Morris states that wind power has already begun dropping significantly since it first hit the market. Solar power is becoming more affordable as well, especially with the increasing popularity of PACE Programs and state and federal tax rebates.

#4 – Green Red Tape

While a significant portion of the population may be eager to see renewable energy sources in their own communities, too many regulations have caused project delays, slowing down progress as a whole. Morris believes this will be cleared up once green projects are commonplace and the system is able to work through its growing pains.

Time seems to be the determining factor in pushing through the majority of renewable energy hurdles. Let’s just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

Source: Smart Planet
Photo Credit: Sacred Earth Trust & Solar Panels 365

More »

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The Four Hurdles of Renewable Energy

American Electric Power CEO Michael Morris is all too familiar with the challenges of incorporating renewable energy into the existing industrial framework. But he believes that the largest of these hurdles can be overcome with sound planning for the future. Here’s what he has to say.

#1 – Moving Renewables to High-Consumption Regions

Unfortunately, the areas that create a large amount of power are not necessarily those where people want to live. The Midwest and Plains states, for instance, are excellent for energy production, but the populations in these areas are relatively sparse.

Why does this matter? Strict regulations make transmitting power cross-country a complicated process. Morris believes that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is moving in the right direction to improve these regulations.

#2 – The Unreliable Nature of Wind and Solar Power

It goes without saying that it’s not always windy and it’s not always sunny. In order to combat the challenge of making up for energy not generated by these sources, says Morris, we need to also rely on the storage of natural gas and electricity. This would make the problem exponentially easier to overcome.

#3 – Lack of Affordability

Unfortunately, wind and solar power are not yet priced competitively with other power sources. However, like all new technology, this will change over time. Morris states that wind power has already begun dropping significantly since it first hit the market. Solar power is becoming more affordable as well, especially with the increasing popularity of PACE Programs and state and federal tax rebates.

#4 – Green Red Tape

While a significant portion of the population may be eager to see renewable energy sources in their own communities, too many regulations have caused project delays, slowing down progress as a whole. Morris believes this will be cleared up once green projects are commonplace and the system is able to work through its growing pains.

Time seems to be the determining factor in pushing through the majority of renewable energy hurdles. Let’s just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

Source: Smart Planet
Photo Credit: Sacred Earth Trust & Solar Panels 365

More »

Visit the original post at: Solar Power News

Acro Energy Reports 297 Percent Increase in Year Over Year Quarterly Revenues
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Acro Energy Technologies Corp. (TSX Venture: ART), a leading U.S. solar integrator, announced today that it completed the second quarter of 2010 with record gross revenues of $5.4 million for the three-month period ending June 30, 2010.
   
The Company’s second quarter 2010 gross revenues were a 297 percent increase compared to the gross revenues of the Company for the three-month period ending June 30, 2009. During the three-month period ending June 30, 2010, Acro Energy’s southern California subsidiary, Energy Efficiency Solar, Inc. (EES), achieved gross revenues of $3.0 million, which is greater than the revenues achieved by EES during the entire 2009 calendar year.

“We delivered a 46 percent increase in revenues from the Company’s first quarter results, when we were able to post positive EBITDA on $3.7 million in gross revenues and we are maintaining an impressive backlog,” said Harry Fleming, chief executive officer of Acro Energy. “We believe that Acro Energy is on track to achieve its forecasted revenue goal of $24 million and net income of $1.7 million for 2010, which excludes additional revenue and net income from the Company’s new operations in Arizona,” continued Fleming.

Acro Energy is entering the historically busy sales season in the third quarter with a backlog of approximately $5 million in committed, financed contracts.

“Our aggressive sales and marketing efforts, our investment in scalable shared services, and our attention to cost management is paying off with dramatically increased revenue, industry-leading gross margins, and an attractive bottom line to date, this year,” said Nat Kreamer, president of Acro Energy.

The second quarter of 2010 is the second full quarter of operations for Acro Energy that includes results for all three solar installation companies acquired and integrated in 2009.

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SunPower Solar Information Review

SunPower Solar (SPWR) is a public solar manufacturing company headquartered in San Jose California with manufacturing operations being handled in the Philippines. The company designs and manufactures high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, roof tiles and solar panels based on a silicon all-back-contact solar cell invented at Stanford University. In recent news SunPower has announced product development on a new panel system with 23.4% efficiency! That’s way above the industry average of between 12% and 20% at the highest end. Unfortunately for home owners this high efficiency panel is only available for businesses at the moment.

Efficiency aside, SunPower is known for having some of the most aesthetically pleasing solar panels on the market that feature an “all black” look that blends nicely with most dark shingles. By contrast, competing solar panels have a grid of silver lacing and diamond shapes running through the panel layout as shown in the comparison below. In addition to the two looks offered by SunPower, they also offer three levels of technology ranging from lower efficiency (and more affordable) to high efficiency panels that cost more but save space, weight, and installation costs. The models are called 205, 210, and 215 with more details available at the Sun Power website.

SunPower is known for delivering professional results at an affordable price nation wide and they partner with local installers in nearly every US state to provide a free site evaluation so it’s definitely worth checking out and their number is toll free 1-800-SUNPOWER (786-7693). Their stock price has been bouncing around a little bit recently but as one of the big players in the space we are confident in their continued success and have seen several SunPower installations go in right near downtown Mountain View, CA where the CleanTech Authority Network is based.

SunPower began offering corporate discounts in 2008 and has an ongoing solar rebate for Hewlett Packard and Google employees in the US. These employee solar rebate programs can be found at http://us.sunpowercorp.com/landing-pages/esp/hp/ and http://us.sunpowercorp.com/landing-pages/esp/google/ respectively. For more information visit these URL’s or contact SunPower directly.

Visit the original post at: Solar Power News

SunPower Solar Information Review

SunPower Solar (SPWR) is a public solar manufacturing company headquartered in San Jose California with manufacturing operations being handled in the Philippines. The company designs and manufactures high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, roof tiles and solar panels based on a silicon all-back-contact solar cell invented at Stanford University. In recent news SunPower has announced product development on a new panel system with 23.4% efficiency! That’s way above the industry average of between 12% and 20% at the highest end. Unfortunately for home owners this high efficiency panel is only available for businesses at the moment.

Efficiency aside, SunPower is known for having some of the most aesthetically pleasing solar panels on the market that feature an “all black” look that blends nicely with most dark shingles. By contrast, competing solar panels have a grid of silver lacing and diamond shapes running through the panel layout as shown in the comparison below. In addition to the two looks offered by SunPower, they also offer three levels of technology ranging from lower efficiency (and more affordable) to high efficiency panels that cost more but save space, weight, and installation costs. The models are called 205, 210, and 215 with more details available at the Sun Power website.

SunPower is known for delivering professional results at an affordable price nation wide and they partner with local installers in nearly every US state to provide a free site evaluation so it’s definitely worth checking out and their number is toll free 1-800-SUNPOWER (786-7693). Their stock price has been bouncing around a little bit recently but as one of the big players in the space we are confident in their continued success and have seen several SunPower installations go in right near downtown Mountain View, CA where the CleanTech Authority Network is based.

SunPower began offering corporate discounts in 2008 and has an ongoing solar rebate for Hewlett Packard and Google employees in the US. These employee solar rebate programs can be found at http://us.sunpowercorp.com/landing-pages/esp/hp/ and http://us.sunpowercorp.com/landing-pages/esp/google/ respectively. For more information visit these URL’s or contact SunPower directly.

Visit the original post at: Solar Power News

2010 World Cup Soccer Dropping the Ball on Hydrogen Vehicles

I was reading an article about Singapore and China developing a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid bus to be used at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games that will take place this coming August.

Then it suddenly occurred to me, where are all of the hydrogen cars, vehicles and buses at the 2010 FIFA World Cup games? Back in 2008, I talked about how the South African government had invested $49 million for hydrogen fuel cell research.

I had also talked about how South Africa controls around 75 – 80-percent of the world’s platinum production, which means they can be a major player in the fuel cell marketplace.

It’s curious to me that a small venue like the 2010 Youth Olympic Games could feature hydrogen vehicles but the World Cup cannot. The Olympics have been doing a fine job putting hydrogen vehicles before the public.

The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics in China and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada both shuttled passengers and dignitaries in hydrogen cars and vehicles. The upcoming 2012 London Summer Olympics will feature hydrogen fuel cell black taxi cabs.

Now, one might argue that perhaps South Africa doesn’t have the resources to build or bring hydrogen fueled cars into their nation for the 2010 World Cup. But, one would think that an organization such as Hydrogen South Africa could invite hydrogen automakers and fueling station companies just for this purpose.

If South Africa wants to position itself as a world player when it comes to selling platinum for fuel cells, then what better venue would there be than the FIFA World Cup? Too bad they dropped the ball on this one. They could have scored a goal with very little effort.

Visit the original post at: Fuel Cell News

Communities can reach 25×25

From a news release issued by Governor Jim Doyle on the success of the ten communities in Energy Independent (EI) Pilot — Brown County; Chequamegon Bay (including the cities of Ashland, Bayfield and Washburn, the towns of Bayfield and La Pointe, the counties of Ashland and Bayfield, the Red Cliff tribe and the Bay Area Regional Transit authority); Columbus; Evansville; Fairfield; Marshfield; Oconomowoc; Osceola, including the school district; Platteville and Lancaster; Spring Green, including the school district:

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced ten Energy Independent (EI) Pilot Communities are well on their way toward achieving “25 x 25” – getting 25 percent of their electricity and 25 percent of their transportation fuels from renewable sources by 2025.

“Through the EI Pilot program communities have found ways to reduce their overall 2025 fossil fuel-based energy consumption by 30 percent,” said Governor Doyle. “This is significant considering we spend $16 billion on fossil fuel energy every year in Wisconsin, and all those dollars go outside of our state. We are finding ways to reduce our dependence
and generate jobs in Wisconsin.”

Two independent reports released by the Office of Energy Independence revealed how the ten EI Pilot Communities were able to accomplish 98 percent of their collective 25 x 25 goal.

The communities reduced their overall 2025 fossil fuel-based energy consumption by 30 percent and reduced their 2025 carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent.

The information gathered by the EI Pilot Communities will assist Wisconsin local units of government including the 140 EI Communities to decide which strategies will work best with their unique assets and capitalize on the diversity of their resources.

The reports were conducted by two non-partisan research and policy organizations: the Local Government Institute and the Energy Center of Wisconsin.

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EU Prepares Massive Investments in Renewable Energy
According to an analysis made by Reuters, the wind turbines will rapidly expand in Europe’s coastal waters, bringing new opportunities and challenges for the industry.

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Thin-Film Photovoltaic (PV) Cells Market Analysis to 2020 – CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide) to Emerge as the Major Technology by 2020
July 2, 2010 (Investorideas.com renewable energy/green newswire, www.renewableenergystocks.com) – GBI Research’s new report, “Thin – Film Photovoltaic (PV) Cells Market Analysis to 2020 – CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide)

Visit the original post at: Energy News