Recurrent, ProLogis team up for 4.8 MW of rooftop solar in Spain
Recurrent Energy, a rooftop solar power developer in the U.S., has branched globally, teaming with major warehouse builder ProLogis to turn thousands of square feet of roof in Madrid and Barcelona into a distributed 4.8 megawatt powerplant — large enough to electrify close to 4,000… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading
SunRun takes $18M, advice from Accel to make solar consumer-friendly
SunRun, a company that sells rooftop-generated solar power to residential consumers for flat monthly fees (and a one-time startup cost), announced today that it raised $18 million in a second round of funding to market its services even more broadly.
Backed primarily by Accel Partners, SunRun… Continue Reading
Greystone and SolarCity partner to fund solar projects with tax credits
Greystone Renewable Energy Ventures has joined up with solar equipment provider SolarCity in a new tax equity fund that will be used to fund future solar projects. Basically, Greystone capitalizes on its expertise in tax regulations to funnel capital to cleantech companies that qualify for… Continue Reading
Thin film hits the rooftop as First Solar buys into SolarCity
First Solar, the undisputed top dog in the thin-film solar industry, has made a move that could prove revolutionary for the solar market. It has invested in SolarCity, a residential and commercial solar installer in San Francisco.
SolarCity will receive $25 million from First Solar, part… Continue Reading
Sungevity brings web 2.0 grit to the solar installation market
Set to be officially unveiled on Tuesday to coincide with Earth Day, Sungevity, a Berkeley, Calif., based solar installer, aims to make the experience of configuring and ordering solar panels as easy as the click of a mouse — quite literally. Enter your home address… 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… Continue Reading
Solar moving south? Rebate plan falters in San Francisco as southern California gains massive project
Updated
An ambitious plan to double the rebate amount for residential solar panel installation in San Francisco, to $6,000 from $3,000, looks a little less certain to pass today with a surprise resolution introduced by San Francisco supervisor Jake McGoldrick to freeze the $3 million necessary… Continue Reading
SolarCity, the arms dealer of solar installation, raises $21M more
Updated
SolarCity, the company we’ve dubbed the “Swiss arms dealer” of the solar installation industry, said it has raised $21 million in a third round of funding.
SolarCity, based in Foster City, Calif., has grabbed attention with its aggressive offer to residents in certain regions to provide… Continue Reading
SAP invests in price management co., Vendavo
Vendavo, a Palo Alto start-up offering price management software for large companies, has received an undisclosed amount of funding from software giant SAP’s venture arm, SAP Ventures.
The company has previously raised more than $56M from investors including DCM, InterWest Partners, Mesirow Financial, Sigma Partners… Continue Reading
Cisco leads $13.5M investment in RFID co., Reva
Reva Systems, a start-up that builds a system to manage information coming from small radio chips (radio frequency identification, or RFID, chips) has raised $13.5 million in a second round of funding from Cisco and SAP Ventures, according to Byte & Switch.
The round, which also… Continue Reading
Musk leads $10M investment in SolarCity — to provide solar for all
Updated
SolarCity, a new Silicon Valley start-up wants to be the Swiss arms-dealer of the solar industry, and has just raised $10 million to do it.
It wants to provide solar installation for individuals and small companies — by acting as an honest, neutral broker, and giving… Continue Reading