California’s renewable energy tangled in power lines
A recent report from the Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative says that the state will need to shell out $15.7 billion to install the transmission lines necessary to meet the government’s renewable energy mandates on time. On top of that, power lines have proved to be extremely unpopular with the public.
The new estimate is even higher than the $12 billion price tag the California Public Utilities Commission had predicted for transmission lines back in June. The… Continue Reading
Borrego Solar draws $30M from overseas to finance new strategy
In a move demonstrating exactly how tight U.S. funding for solar is these days, photovoltaic installer Borrego Solar has taken $30 million in equity from Taiwanese cable manufacturer Walsin Lihwa. The money will give the company the boost it needs to branch into selling purchase power agreements.
Basically, it will institute a system where Borrego pays for and retains ownership of the solar equipment it installs for commercial and government clients. It will then be able… Continue Reading
Borrego Solar gets $14M for the boring side of solar
Solar power offers plenty of exciting technological advances to talk about. If those advances were all that mattered, nobody would have to worry about whether the business is profitable or efficient. Yet those nasty little details persist, making or breaking companies like Borrego Solar, an installation outfit that just received a $14 million investment.
Borrego is a veteran California company that puts solar racks on homes and businesses. It and its peers have flourished over the… Continue Reading
Solar outlook stays bright even as economy dims
While the market for silicon solar panels appears to be growing at a healthy clip, several factors could either retard or speed its development. A worldwide silicon shortage, government investment credits, energy prices and the existing financing and installation models for solar panels are all in flux. But recent developments in all of those sectors suggest a positive outlook for the sector.
First up, Trina Solar’s recent decision to cancel its $1b silicon plant is widely… Continue Reading