US photovoltaic project pipeline soars to 17 gigawatts
Solarbuzz
Following reductions in feed-in-tariffs throughout Europe, the rapid rise in the photovoltaic project pipeline in the U.S. market now represents one of the most compelling PV market growth opportunities anywhere in the world.More

Solar jobs on the rise: Where are the engineers?
IEEE Spectrum
The U.S. installed 252 megawatts of grid-connected photovoltaic power (enough for more than 50,000 homes) in the first quarter of 2011. That made the solar energy industry one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy for the quarter, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The solar industry's growth brings with it the promise of jobs.More

Cogenra harvests both PV and heat on rooftops
Greentech Solar
Cogenra Solar is a distributed solar cogeneration company that combines photovoltaic electricity production and heat collection to deliver electricity and hot water for commercial, industrial and institutional applications. The firm has announced the completion of a 75-kilowatt solar cogeneration project at General Hydroponics, a Santa Rosa, Calif.-based manufacturer of indoor agricultural systems and nutrients.More

Update on recent state, utility water heating incentives
Renewable Energy World
Tor Valenza writes, "Let's face it. Incentives help make the case for solar technologies, whether it's solar water heating systems or solar electric."More

Proposed law would double amount of solar power sold in North Carolina
Clean Energy
A bill introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly, aptly titled the Solar Jobs Bill, would require utilities to double the amount of solar power sold to customers in North Carolina by 2018. In addition to pushing the solar industry forward in the state, the bill also would result in continued job growth in the renewable energy industry; the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association estimates this bill would create 4,000 new jobs.More

Florida schools gain solar power, get cash
Earth Techling
Here's a concept to consider: a system that allows private investors to own the solar power systems installed at public schools while still receiving substantial associated tax benefits. That concept swiftly is becoming a reality in Gainesville, Fla., where Gainesville Regional Utility's feed-in tariff system will be instrumental in bringing renewable energy to eight Alachua County schools.More

United Solar boosts efficiency with nano-crystalline technology
Stockwatch
United Solar, a global manufacturer of lightweight, flexible, thin-film solar modules, announced it has achieved a record efficiency of 16.3 percent for thin-film silicon solar technology.More

PV Fab Managers Forum finds reasons for cautious thin-film optimism
PV Tech
Does thin-film represent the last, best hope for the future of U.S.-based PV manufacturing? Given the country's large market share of polysilicon production, the growth in crystalline-silicon module making and the emergence of a nascent concentrator PV sector, that might be an overstatement.More

IREC reports 2010 US solar boom, but what does future hold?
Renewable Energy World
Prices dropped, installations soared and capacity surged in what proved to be a prosperous year for the solar industry, according to the 2010 U.S. Solar Market Trends Report released in June by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. This may be great news for the industry, but while the road seems stable now, there still are some hazards to navigate in the distance.More

Cleaning solar panels about to be a whole lot easier
Cooler Planet
Maintaining solar panels is one of the biggest obstacles for utilizing the renewable energy source. King's New Energy, a manufacturer specializing in the design, production and distribution of solar mounting and supporting products, is showing off its new automatic cleaning system for solar panels at Intersolar North America 2011.More

Solar energy grows slowly in New York homes
The New York Times
When Ed and Paula Antonio moved from a small home in Marine Park, Brooklyn, to a roughly 3,000-square-foot house in Belle Harbor, Queens, they realized with all that space and a central air-conditioning system, their electricity costs would run much higher. So after intensive research and analysis and the bids of five contractors, they paid $72,000 to install 42 solar panels on their new roof. More

Middletown initiative: Going solar in tough economy
Asbury Park Press
Officials in Middletown, N.J., are considering blanketing municipal properties with solar panels as a way to potentially save tens of thousands of dollars each year. As part of a feasibility study drafted by Birdsall Engineering and coordinated by Township Committeeman Kevin Settembrino, the rooftops and parking lots of several township-owned locations — including the Middletown train station — would feature solar panels. More